The Boy and the Bunny
by el spirito
Summary: AU- Shannon Gibbs is a pediatric nurse, and when she makes a house call to the DiNozzo Mansion, she has no idea that her life, and her husband's, is about to change forever. Little!Tony and Shannon is still alive.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So this is pretty AU, and it's something I'm new to, but I really wanted to try it, so here it goes…

xxxx

"Shannon, it's a one time thing. I know it's not exactly typical-"

"You got that right," Shannon muttered, watching as the charge nurse continued to prattle on.

"-but Mr. DiNozzo is a huge contributor to this hospital. The man practically financed the burn unit all by himself."

Shannon sighed. "That's all well and good, but why am _I_ the one that has to deal with him?"

"He asked for our best pediatric nurse. That's you, Shannon."

"Damn it," Shannon grumbled. "I don't like this, Marcie. I can get a lot more done here, help a lot more kids."

"I know, Shannon," Marcie said, loosening up a bit. "But this guy's rich and loaded and used to getting what he wants, and he's not coming to the hospital. His kid could use your help, Shan."

Shannon knew she was being played, knew that Marcie knew her well enough to know that pulling the 'kid in need' card would get her every time. She knew it, and it still got her this time too.

"Okay, okay. Then I'm going to go head and take off. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. See you then. And Shannon?"

Shannon turned back around.

"Whatever you do, don't piss him off."

xxxx

The DiNozzo mansion was monstrous, all turrets and high windows and towering doors. Shannon was simultaneously impressed and disgusted by the display of power. She pulled her car up to the front, only half surprised when a valet came up and asked for her keys. Shannon relented then walked up to the door, lifting the large brass knocker and letting it fall.

"Hi, my name's Shannon Gibbs. I'm here to see Mr. DiNozzo's child?" Shannon said as the door swung open. The man who opened the door nodded.

"Right this way, madam," he said, allowing her to enter before closing the door behind her. Shannon found herself in a huge foyer, an elaborate staircase stretching up to one side, a huge chandelier dangling over her head.

The butler led her up the stairs and paused outside of a door, knocking succinctly.

"Mr. DiNozzo? The nurse you requested is here."

The butler opened the door and shooed Shannon in, then bowed and walked away. Shannon was left standing in a large office with huge bookcases lining the wall and a large desk directly in front of her. The man seated at the desk, dressed sharply in a perfectly fitted suit stood up.

"Hi. My name is Anthony DiNozzo," the man said, extending his hand and flashing a smile. Shannon half-smiled in return and shook his hand. _He certainly thinks of himself as a charmer._

"Shannon Gibbs. You have a sick child?"

DiNozzo sighed. "Yeah. My son, Tony. He's not been himself lately."

"Has he complained of any symptoms?"Shannon asked. "Headache, stomachache, anything like that?"

DiNozzo looked affronted. "Tony doesn't complain."

Shannon frowned at the way he said it; he wasn't just stating one of his son's characteristics, he said it as though he would be disappointed if his son had the nerve to complain. Poor kid.

"I'll take you to him now," DiNozzo said, leading Shannon out of the office. "He's in the playroom."

They walked down a long hallway to another door, less grand than the one in DiNozzo's office.

"Tony!" DiNozzo barked when they walked into the room. Shannon frowned and nearly said something, but remembered that she wasn't supposed to piss off this very important contributor to the hospital.

Those thoughts fled from her mind when she noticed the tiny form huddled on the carpet. She hurried quickly to the child's side, feeling his forehead. The little boy was burning up, blinking lethargically at her with glassy green eyes. He was only 3 or 4 years old; Shannon had been expecting an older child and couldn't imagine a boy this young that didn't complain about being ill.

"Why isn't he in bed?" Shannon demanded as she helped Tony sit upright.

"It's 3:00 in the afternoon, Mrs. Gibbs. It would be inappropriate for him to be in bed."

Shannon literally bit her tongue.

"Well, I need somewhere to examine him," she said finally, and DiNozzo nodded. "There's a billiards table just through here. It should be as good a place as any."

"That's fine," Shannon said, turning back to Tony. "Come on, baby," she whispered, scooping the thin form into her arms. "You're okay, it's okay."

"Mrs. Gibbs, please don't baby him. He does not need to be coddled."

Shannon bristled and clutched Tony closer to her, a surge of protectiveness washing over her as she held his tiny hot form.

"Mr. DiNozzo, you wanted the best pediatric nurse in the hospital. That's me. I'm the best because of how I treat the children, so if you want me to help your son, you'll let me do it the way I always do.'

DiNozzo squared his jaw, glaring at Shannon. Shannon glared back.

"This way," DiNozzo snapped finally, walking briskly back down the large hallway. Shannon followed, cradling Tony to her chest, whispering reassuringly to him. He remained listless in her arms. When they reached the room, Shannon carefully laid Tony down on the table, then started rummaging around in her bag. She wasn't even sure if DiNozzo was still there or not, and honestly, she didn't care.

"Okay sweetie, I'm going to take your temperature. This is going in your ear, okay?"

Tony nodded lethargically, his eyelids at half mast.

"There you go. It's okay," Shannon soothed as she took the reading. 102.7.

"You've got quite the temperature, baby. I'm going to listen to your heart and lungs now," she said, pulling her stethoscope out and warming it. Tony nodded again as Shannon helped him sit upright. He started to slump to one side, so she quickly put a supporting hand on his back.

"You okay?" She asked, trying to gauge the little boy's awareness. Tony nodded once again.

Shannon turned around, half-surprised to see DiNozzo there still, watching her closely. "Is he normally this quiet?"

"No. Usually he won't stop talking."

Shannon frowned. "Deep breath," she said, nodding as Tony complied. "Again? Good. I'm going to feel your neck now, okay?"

Shannon moved to put her hands on Tony's neck, but the little boy flinched away, eyes wide. Shannon swore under her breath.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I'll be extra gentle, okay?"

"Okay," Tony croaked finally, but his little body was still tense, and his eyes were wide with fear as Shannon felt along his lymph nodes. Definitely enlarged. That wasn't what bothered her most though, Tony actually seemed frightened of her. Alarms were going off in her head.

"Can you open your mouth really big for me?"

Tony complied silently, lower lip trembling and tears leaking from beneath his tightly closed eyelids. Tony's throat was red and inflamed, dotted with white sores. Shannon quickly took a swab and swept it across his throat, wincing inwardly when Tony let out a whimper.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry. Your throat's probably pretty sore, isn't it?" Shannon said gently, reaching up and lightly brushing away the tears that were streaming down Tony's cheeks. She was startled when DiNozzo strode across the room in two steps, painfully gripping Tony's arm.

"Anthony! What have I said to you about crying?"

Tony sniffled and looked down. "Di-DiNozzos don't c-cry," he stuttered, gnawing lightly on his bottom lip.

"That's correct. Apologize to Mrs. Gibbs."

"Mr. DiNozzo, I don't think that's nece-"

"Anthony. _Now._"

Tony continued looking down at the floor, sniffling quietly. "I-I'm sorry," he stuttered.

"Tony, look at me," Shannon said gently, cupping Tony's chin in one hand. "It is completely okay. Sometimes, things hurt very badly, and then it's okay to cry. Okay? I'm not mad at you, or disappointed. You've been a very brave boy."

She knew that DiNozzo was probably bristling with anger, glaring at her as she contradicted him, but she honestly didn't give a damn.

"I'm going to give you some medicine for your throat and to get your fever down, and hopefully you'll be feeling a little bit better soon, okay? Open up, kiddo."

Tony complied, opening his mouth and grimacing slightly as he chewed and swallowed.

"Tastes gross, huh?" Shannon said, making a face. Tony gave a shy smile, and Shannon felt something swell in her chest. He had a luminous smile, one that seemed to take up his whole face and just _radiate._

"You know what?" Shannon asked, reaching into her bag. "You've been really brave, and you ate all that yucky medicine that I gave you. I have something special for you." She'd spotted the rabbit in the hospital gift shop and picked it up on a whim on her way out. She pulled it out of her bag and held it out to Tony.

Tony shook his head slowly, eyes wide with longing. "No, th-thank you."

"Aw, come on now, Tony. You don't want this bunny to be lonely, do you?"

"N-no," Tony answered tentatively, looking at her with a slightly confused expression.

"This bunny needs a good home to go to, with a good little boy. I don't have a good little boy at my home. Would you take care of it for me?"

Tony hesitated a minute longer, watching her curiously, then nodded.

"Thank y-you," he whispered, clutching the rabbit to his chest and gracing Shannon with that beautiful smile again.

"You're welcome, Tony. Now, how about we get you in bed so you can rest, huh?" Shannon said, looking purposely at DiNozzo. She almost wished he would say something, but he just stood stiffly and led her out of the room. Shannon held Tony's warm little hand in hers, watching him closely. The little boy had the stuffed rabbit still clasped to his chest, and he was walking dazedly. Halfway down the hallway, he stumbled and fell to his hands and knees, breathing heavily and clearly trying not to cry. Shannon picked him up and tucked him close, trying not to notice how tightly he clung to her shirt, or how he buried his face in her shoulder.

DiNozzo made a noise under his breath, but Shannon ignored it, walking into Tony's bedroom. It was a good-sized room, and it was neat and tidy, nothing out of place. It took Shannon a second to realize that there wasn't a single toy visible in the room, no stuffed animals or toy cars or picture books. No wonder Tony liked the bunny so much.

"There you go, Tony," Shannon whispered as she lowered the thin boy to the bed. "That's good, huh?" She pulled the covers up and tucked them around Tony and his bunny, watching as the little boy blinked slowly, nestling into the covers before drifting off to sleep.

"Can we speak outside?" Shannon asked once she was sure Tony was sleeping. DiNozzo nodded curtly.

"I think that Tony has strep throat. I've taken a swab to have tested, and should it come back positive I'll have a prescription called in. In the mean time, get him to drink as many fluids as you can- it'll be painful, but we don't want him getting dehydrated. Bring him in if he starts showing additional symptoms like a rash, or if his fever gets too high. If this doesn't clear up within the next week or so, you'll want to get him checked out again."

DiNozzo took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.

"I'll let Maria know."

"Maria?" Shannon asked. She was unaware that Tony's mother was still alive.

"Tony's nanny. I have business to attend to this week, so Maria will be taking care of him."

Shannon very nearly said something very unladylike, but managed to tamp down her emotions.

"Well. Okay. Umm….is there anything else?"

DiNozzo looked at her with a scrutinizing gaze.

"No, Mrs. Gibbs. I think you've done quite enough here today," he said finally. Shannon clenched her fists, then consciously released them. Deep breath. Okay.

"Right. I hope Tony gets better soon, and I'll call with that prescription."

"Thank you. The butler will see you out."

Shannon nodded and walked away, down the towering staircase, across the massive entryway, and out the door. She managed to drive off the DiNozzo property before she pulled over, buried her head in her arms, and sobbed.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for the great response to the first chapter! Updates probably won't be this fast in the future, but I've been going a bit crazy the last few days with the writing. Also, I'm a bit nervous about this one, so reviews would be uber appreciated if you like it or if you don't (but have suggestions!).

xxxx

"Hey Shan," Jethro called, hearing the front door open. "I've got some potatoes ready to pop in the oven and a couple steaks marinating in the fridge."

Gibbs continued working in the kitchen for a few seconds, listening as his wife followed her usual routine, shoes in the closet, purse on the kitchen table, keys on the counter… She normally wasn't silent though, and she sure as heck wasn't one to keep her excitement about a good steak to herself.

"Shannon? Honey?" Jethro asked, turning around. Shannon was standing awkwardly in the dining room, one hand on a chair, the other held awkwardly around her stomach. She had a pained expression that Gibbs knew from experience meant that his wife was trying desperately to hold herself together.

"What happened?" He murmured, striding to her side in three steps. "Shan? What's going on?" He wrapped his arms around her, surprised when Shannon started sobbing in his arms, burying her face in his shirt and shaking her head back and forth.

"Come on, let's sit down," Jethro said, gently guiding his wife to the couch. He was concerned; He'd seen Shannon upset by her job before, but never to this degree.

"What's going on, Shannon?" Jethro asked, rubbing Shannon's arms. She leant into his shoulder, sniffling.

"I had a shitty day," she murmured, and Gibbs frowned at the expletive.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Had to take a house call to the DiNozzo mansion."

Jethro whistled. "How was that? I can't see that rich bastard being a good patient."

Shannon sniffled again.

"He wasn't the patient. It was his son- 3, maybe 4, and DiNozzo treated the kid like he should be an adult! When I got there, Tony wasn't in bed, he was curled up in a ball on the floor because it 'wasn't proper' for him to be in bed. He didn't complain while I was examining him, and the only time his father talked to him was to berate him. He lectured his son for _crying_, Jethro, and he has strep! I just- he was just- Tony was so tiny and vulnerable and he was so sick, and his dad treated him like _shit- _and I couldn't do anything about it! And Tony was scared of me when I tried to touch him- I know that that man was abusing his son, Jethro."

"Aw, Shannon, I'm sorry," Jethro said, holding his wife as she cried. "I'm so sorry."

"It isn't fair," Shannon murmured. 'That a bastard like that can have a son, such a good kid, and treat him like shit, and I can't- and we can't-"

"I know," Jethro whispered, rocking gently from side to side. "I know. It's okay. I know."

After Shannon had cried herself out, Jethro eased himself up off the couch and put a kettle of water to boil on the stove.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Shannon said, standing up and wiping mascara trails from her cheeks. "I've ruined dinner."

"No. You didn't ruin anything, Shan. I'll order take-out tonight and we'll have the steak tomorrow, okay? How does Indian sound?"

Shannon smiled sadly, sitting down on a stool at the counter.

"I'm sorry, Jethro," she repeated. "It was just- I don't know, it was an emotional day. Damn, I am such a woman," she said, laughing sadly.

"Hey," Jethro said, walking to her side. He cupped her chin in his hand. "Hell yes you're such a woman," he said, moving his hands down to tuck around her hips. " But you don't need to apologize to me. Not for being a beautiful, compassionate human being. You hear me? Never for that."

Shannon nodded, looking down at the floor, her hands playing with the hem of Jethro's sleeve.

"I-I want a child, Jethro."

Gibbs settled into the seat next to his wife and settled a hand on her knee.

"I know you do. I do too. Do you want to try fertility treatments?" He asked quietly. Shannon shook her head.

"I want to adopt. Or maybe we could be foster parents. There are kids out there, vulnerable, abandoned kids, who could use a good home, and loving parents. We could do that."

"You sure?" Jethro asked, locking eyes with Shannon.

"I'm sure," Shannon said.

"Okay," Jethro whispered, kissing Shannon's forehead. "I think that sounds great." He stood and took the kettle off the stove, then brought a mug of steaming liquid to his wife.

"Raspberry hot chocolate?" She asked with a smile.

"Of course," Jethro answered. "It's your favorite."

"Thank you," Shannon said, kissing Gibbs lightly. "Thank you."

Jethro knew she was thanking him for more than the hot chocolate.

xxxx

"I heard you got to go to the DiNozzo mansion yesterday," Brenda said, leaning in close to Shannon. "How was that?"

"Yeah," Holly chimed in. "Was he handsome? Was his house huge?"

Shannon rolled her eyes. Nurses were the worst gossips she'd ever heard of.

"Yeah, his house was huge. Yeah, I guess he was handsome," Shannon answered. "But he was a total jackass."

"What? DiNozzo was a jackass? We are talking about the same guy, right? The dashing businessman, always dressed to the nines, the one who donates truckloads of money to charity? That DiNozzo?" Holly asked, frowning.

"Yeah," Shannon managed through grit teeth. "That one."

"Well what did he do that made him such a douche?"

"Look, I don't want to talk about it. I've got work to do, and so do you." Shannon pushed past her coworkers, ignoring the snide comments she knew they were making about her.

"Shannon," someone called.

"I don't want to talk about it, okay?" Shannon answered without turning around.

"_Shannon_," the person repeated, and Shannon felt a pang of guilt as she recognized the voice.

"Oh, Marcie," Shannon said, turning. The charge nurse was shaking her head, a half-smile on her face.

"Your boy's tests came back. Definitely strep. I called in the prescription."

"Oh, thanks," Shannon said. "I'll let Mr. DiNozzo know." _Or his nanny. Bastard._

"Shannon, I'm not sure what happened over there, but I know that you aren't acting like yourself. Is everything okay?"

Shannon hesitated. "It seemed like Tony was being neglected," she answered finally. "Maybe abused, too."

Marcie sighed. "You know that you had better be 100 percent _damn_ sure of that before you start anything. Even if DiNozzo is abusing his kid, it's gonna be one hell of a fight to prove it."

"I know, Marcie. And I'm not starting anything. At least, not yet. I know that I didn't see enough to prove anything, but I'm going to keep an eye out."

"Good. You should do that anyway. And Shannon? I know you're a bleeding heart, so try not to let this get to you too much, okay? You did everything you could for that little boy. You don't have anything to feel guilty about."

"Yeah," Shannon said, smiling wryly. Sometimes she forgot how long she and Marcie had been working together, and just how observant Marcie could be. "Thanks."

"No problem," Marcie answered.

Shannon smiled and went to call DiNozzo.

xxxx

A week later, Shannon woke up to Jethro smiling at her.

"Sweetie? Aren't you s'posed to be at work?" Shannon mumbled, rubbing at her eyes. "What time is it?"

"My team's off today," Jethro answered. "It's 7:00. I figured I'd drop you off at work, and maybe we can pick up coffee at that place across the street. Sound good?"

"Oh, Jethro. It sounds damn good," Shannon answered, kissing Jethro once before pulling away. "I've gotta take a shower."

Jethro pulled her back down onto the bed and kissed her deeply. "I love you," he whispered, playing with her hair.

"I love you too, J," Shannon said, looking up into her husband's clear blue eyes. "You're going to be a great father."

Jethro smiled and started kissing her again.

"Maybe," he said between kisses, "but right now I'm a great husband."

"Okay, okay," Shannon laughed, pushing him away. "You're fantastic, but I really do need to take a shower now."

Jethro grinned. "You want company?"

An hour later, they walked out of the coffee shop together and crossed the street to the hospital.

"Mm, their lattes are _divine,_" Shannon said, sipping at her drink. "You should try one." Jethro grinned.

"You know I like mine black. Lattes are-"

"A sign of weakness, I know," Shannon laughed, poking her husband in the side. "You and your rules."

Jethro was about to respond when a car pulled up, and a woman bolted out of the driver's side door, screaming for help. Gibbs shoved his coffee at Shannon and raced to help.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he reached the car.

"Please," the woman gasped, "he is sick. He is very bad sick. Help him, please!"

Jethro glanced into the back seat and bit back a curse. A young boy was sprawled across the seat, utterly still. There was a stuffed animal tucked next to him.

"Come here, little guy," Jethro said, opening the door and scooping the boy up. The boy didn't move. "Shannon!" Gibbs yelled, hurrying toward the hospital with the limp form clutched to his chest.

"Shannon!"

"Oh shit, oh no, Jethro, it's Tony, this is Tony, oh no, I didn't-"

"Shannon. This isn't your fault. You need to focus, okay? Go get help. Go," Jethro said, looking intently at his wife. He hurried after her, barging into the ER as his wife came with a swarm of doctors pushing a gurney. The boy, Tony, was taken from his arms and rushed away.

"J, I'm sorry, the coffee, but I'm going to go-"

"Go. Help," Jethro said, pressing a kiss to Shannon's forehead. "I love you."

"Love you too," Shannon said, then hurried away.

Jethro settled in for a wait. He wasn't about to leave, not with Shannon so emotionally involved. Not with the kid as sick as he was. No, he would wait so that he could be there when Shannon needed him.


	3. Chapter 3

Shannon managed to tamp down her fear and her guilt and just _focus _on the little boy in front of her. Tony was lying utterly still, his chest rising and falling at a rapid rate as he gasped for breath. A reddish-purplish rash was spreading up from his neck and on his face.

"Looks like scarlet fever," a doctor called, settling an oxygen mask over Tony's face. Shannon shut her eyes for a second, then took a deep breath.

"Hey Tony, can you hear me?" Shannon asked, leaning over his ear as she quickly cut his shirt open. The rash continued, spread over his chest and abdomen.

"Temp's 105.9," someone called. Shannon swore under her breath, then brushed the hair away from Tony's forehead.

"It's okay, sweetie, you're going to be fine. Hang on, baby," she whispered.

"Okay, let's get him hooked up to a heart monitor. I want him started on saline and penicillin, and I want ice packs on him," Cooper said, listening to Tony's mottled chest with a stethoscope. Shannon had worked with the doctors down in the ER a few times before, and she was glad that Cooper was the one working on Tony. If Tony was going to need help, he was going to get the best.

"You're going to feel a little pinch, okay?" Shannon quickly started an IV line, hanging a bag of saline. "All done. Good job, Tony." He probably couldn't hear her. Shannon didn't care.

"We've got to get push those fluids. He's severely dehydrated," Shannon said. "And where the hell are those ice packs?"

"They're coming, Shannon. Shit, he's got heart involvement," Cooper said, looking up at the heart monitor. "Tachycardic at 150 beats. Let's get an echocardiogram and a blood culture on him. Sounds like there's some congestion in his lungs too. Tony? Can you hear me, buddy?" Cooper rubbed his knuckle over Tony's sternum, and the little boy stirred, moaning slightly.

"Tony? Hey sweetheart, can you hear me?" Shannon asked, watching as Tony peered blearily through half-opened eyes and groaned again.

"Got the ice packs," a nurse said, coming into the room. Shannon started placing them around Tony's body, then placed a cooling blanket over him. Tony shivered and moaned uncomfortably, thrashing beneath the blanket.

"Hey, hey, calm down, sweetie," Shannon murmured, rubbing gently at Tony's forehead. "You're okay."

"Mom?" Tony croaked, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"N-no, Tony. Not your mom," Shannon said gently.

"Hurts," Tony said, this time letting out a small sob.

"I know, baby. But we're going to fix you up, okay? You're going to be fine."

"Mom," Tony said again. Shannon swallowed past the lump in her throat, and decided to provide what comfort she could to a delirious four year old.

"Right here, Tony. I'm right here."

"M-miss you," Tony sighed, his eyelashes fluttering. Shannon had to struggle to swallow past the lump in her throat, as she thumbed Tony's hot forehead.

"I know, baby. Me too," she whispered.

"Shannon. We're taking him up to x-ray, get a pic of those lungs and then we're going to bring him back down, get that electrocardiogram."

"Okay," Shannon said, taking a deep breath to steel herself. She knew that she was getting emotionally attached to Tony, and even the thought of letting him out of her sight for the tests panicked her. He would be fine. She would be fine too.

"Okay," Shannon repeated. "I'll go try to get ahold of his father." Oh, she would get ahold of DiNozzo all right, and then she was going to rip him a new one.

She was surprised when Jethro was outside the trauma bay when she stepped out, stretched out and sleeping on a couch.

"Jethro?"

Jethro startled upwards, blinking rapidly.

"How is he?" He asked, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

"He's pretty bad off," Shannon said, struggling with the emotions she felt rising to the surface. "He's gotten some pretty severe complications from his strep throat. He has to have gone untreated this whole time."

"Come here," Jethro whispered, holding his arms out. He wrapped them around Shannon and stroked her back as she trembled in his hold, containing her sobs. "He'll be okay. Looked like a tough little tyke."

"He is," Shannon said, then swallowed thickly. "He was delirious. Thought I was his mom," she whispered. Jethro kissed her forehead.

"I need to go. I need to try to get his dad on the phone and figure out how the hell a kid with strep throat a week ago came into the ER in critical condition," Shannon said finally, pulling away.

"Okay. And Shan? If you talk to his dad, rip him a new one, okay?"

"Hell yes," Shannon said, then walked to the front desk.

"Hey Amy. I need you to look up a number for me," Shannon said, giving the desk clerk a small smile. "And could you check to see if a prescription for Anthony DiNozzo was filled?"

xxxx

Jethro looked around the mostly calm ER. He was worried about Shannon. His wife often got emotionally attached to patients, but he knew that this was different, that this boy had somehow captured Shannon's heart as surely as if he were her own son. Not that he could blame her. He'd held Tony for all of a minute and was already in love with him.

Suddenly, a muffled sobbing came to his attention, and he turned around. The woman who'd rushed Tony into the hospital was sitting in a plastic chair, clutching Tony's stuffed animal to her chest and rocking back and forth.

"Ma'am? Excuse me ma'am, are you okay?" Jethro asked, swiping a box of tissues off a nearby table and offering it to the distraught woman as he knelt before her.

"Oh, thank you," the woman replied, taking the tissues and dabbing at her eyes. "I am sorry."

"It's okay," Jethro reassured, sliding into the chair next to her. "How are you doing?"

The woman tried to smile but failed miserably.

"I worry for Tonio. He is so little, and he was so sick," she said, twisting the wet tissue nervously. "He no eat enough. I tell him, I say, you eat your dinner up Tonio, but he is stubborn. Stubborn little devil," she said, laughing slightly.

"I'm sure he's going to be fine, Ms.- I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"Maria. I am Maria."

"And you take care of Tony?" Jethro asked gently.

"Yes. When his father gone, I take care of him."

"Can you tell me what happened? How did Tony get so sick?" Jethro asked, smiling encouragingly at Maria.

"Tonio was sick last week. A nurse came and saw to him. She gave Mr. DiNozzo a- a thing for medicine, but he no get it. It would have made him late for his meetings."

Gibbs felt anger boiling up inside him. He'd never felt the urge to hit someone he'd never met so badly before.

"Why didn't you fill it, Maria?"

The woman started crying again, and Jethro held the box of tissues out again. Maria blew her nose loudly.

"Sorry. I was afraid," she began, then hesitated.

"Afraid?" Jethro prompted.

"Yes," Maria said, then lowered her voice. "I am not legal. I have no license, and I have no ID. I think that I get sent home if I try."

Jethro closed his eyes for a second, trying to quell the rage that was flowing through him. DiNozzo had left his son with a woman who was scared to drive. It was clear that Maria loved Tony to death, but the hard fact was that if she hadn't been afraid to fill the prescription, Tony probably wouldn't be so ill right now.

"Maria, I need you to listen to me, okay? Do you have a way to get in contact with Mr. DiNozzo? An emergency number?"

Maria hesitated, then nodded. "It is only for emergency," she said.

"This is an emergency, Maria."

"Not this kind emergency. If something happens to house, or car, I am to call Mr. DiNozzo."

Gibbs had had all he could take. He stood abruptly and punched the wall next to him, letting the pain course through his hand to distract him from the hatred, then stood for a moment, breathing heavily and bracing himself against the wall. Maria was watching him with wide eyes, clearly frightened.

"Maria," Gibbs said slowly, enunciating each word. "I want that phone number from you. Right now."

xxxx

"I don't give a damn. I need to talk to my wife. I know I'm not- I have important information for her, damn it!"

Shannon frowned and wondered what the hell her husband had gotten into this time.

"Amy, hang on. Jethro, what are you doing?" Shannon demanded, coming out of the office she'd been using, vainly trying to hunt down DiNozzo.

"I got your number, Shan," Jethro replied, holding up a crumpled piece of paper like a trophy. "You can contact the bastard."

"How did you do this?" Shannon asked, taking the paper from her husband and frowning. "You know what, never mind. I don't want to know."

"Aw, Shan, just used some of my interrogation skills," Jethro said, grinning cheekily at her.

"And your fist? What did you do, J?" Shannon asked, taking hold of Jethro's bruised hand. Jethro actually blushed when Shannon clicked her tongue as she inspected the injured limb.

"DiNozzo's a bigger bastard than I thought," Jethro answered, gritting his teeth as Shannon prodded at his hand. "I might have lost my temper a little bit."

"Oh, J. Look, I'm going to have someone take a look at this, okay? I need to call DiNozzo and then get back to Tony, and I don't want to hear that you've given the doctor any crap, you understand me?"

"Shannon, it's not that bad. Besides, there are other people who need-"

"Jethro. The waiting room is practically empty. No arguments. Go."

After making sure that her husband (stupid, stubborn, amazing man) was being seen to, Shannon went back into the office and dialed the number that Jethro had given her.

The phone rang only twice before being picked up.

"Maria? What's going on?"

"Hi, Mr. DiNozzo? This isn't Maria. This is Shannon Gibbs, from Union Memorial Hospital."

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Mrs. Gibbs? The same nurse that came to see Tony?"

"Yes. Were you aware that Tony was, in fact, diagnosed with strep throat and issued a prescription?"

"Yes."

"And did you fill that prescription?"

More silence.

"No. I didn't."

"Well, now your son is in critical condition, Mr. DiNozzo, from complications of strep throat. Complications that could have easily been avoided had the proper steps been taken."

"Mrs. Gibbs, I hardly think that it's proper that you lecture me on this point-"

"Damn propriety, Mr. DiNozzo. Your son is critically ill, and it could have been prevented. Signs are indicating that he has rheumatic fever. Do you know how uncommon that is in this day and age?"

"What do you want me to do about it?" DiNozzo asked finally. "The damage has been done already."

"I want you to get your ass down here and give some comfort to your child! Tony is four years old, and he has no idea what's going on. He's sick, he hurts, and he's scared, and he could use his father."

DiNozzo sighed. "I'll be there as soon as I can. Tomorrow, probably."

"Good," Shannon said. "I'll be expecting you."

She hung up, more than a little proud of herself.

"Shannon," Amy said. "Coop's back with Tony, wants you in the trauma bay."

"Coming," Shannon said, then hurried back into the hustle and bustle of saving a little boy's life.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you so much for the amazing response to the last chapter! I'm not sure I liked how this one turned out, so definitely tell me if you think it worked. Also, the MacGyver scene described in here is totally real.

xxxx

Shannon was tired when she finally came out of the ER with a wan smile on her face. Jethro could tell by the way she held herself, the slight downcast to her shoulders and the squinting that meant she had a headache. But she was smiling.

"How is he?" Jethro demanded, standing up and hugging her tightly. "What happened with his father? What's his prognosis?"

Shannon smiled at her husband's eager questions.

"You _do_ care, Agent Gibbs," she said, patting Jethro on the chest. He rolled his eyes, then grinned.

"Only a little," he said, then grew serious again. "Really. How did it go?"

Shannon sighed. "His father is coming, said he should be here tomorrow."

"And?" Jethro prompted. He always knew when Shannon was holding something back.

"And he probably doesn't really like me right now."

Jethro smiled and gave her another hug. "That's my girl. Now how about Tony?"

"Things are a little less positive with Tony. He's, uh, he's going to have a long road ahead of him."

"Talk to me," Jethro said, leading Shannon to a couch and sitting down. Shannon settled next to him and took a long, deep breath.

"His strep throat went untreated. There are all kinds of nasty infections you can pick up, scarlet fever, rheumatic fever, but most of it's been eradicated by proper treatments."

"Treatments that Tony didn't get because DiNozzo Senior couldn't be bothered to pick up his prescriptions," Jethro interrupted.

"Yeah," Shannon agreed, silent for a minute. "He's contracted a bit of pneumonia, and the rheumatic fever seemed to settle into his heart."

"Shit," Jethro murmured. "Is that permanent?"

"In this case, it's likely. He'll probably have some trouble with arthritis in his joints in the future as well. And, Jethro, he might have some hearing loss. Until he wakes up and is more coherent, we won't know how much or if it's permanent, but it's probable."

Jethro was silent, clearly trying to process everything that Shannon had told him.

"That poor kid," he said finally. "If I ever see his father…"

"You won't do anything stupid," Shannon said firmly. "I know you're pissed. Hell, I'm pissed. But we can't be stupid about this, J."

"I know, Shan. I just…" He trailed off and shrugged. "Tony's already had such a crappy life, and now it just got so much more complicated, and it could have been prevented, and I feel so _helpless_."

Shannon nodded; she felt the same way, but it was disheartening and strangely terrifying to hear her husband say it.

"Do you want to see him?" Shannon asked finally. "They've settled him in the Peds ICU."

"Can I?" Jethro asked. He sounded surprisingly tentative.

"Of course. There's-there's no one else to see him right now, J, and he could use someone to talk to him, to help him-"

"I'd love to see him, Shan. Let's go."

Shannon watched her husband closely as they rode the elevator up to the ICU. She could tell that he was nervous though he was trying not to show it, and she marveled at how quickly this little boy had managed to make not only her, but also Jethro fall in love with him.

"He's going to look pretty bad, J," Shannon said, giving Jethro's hand a squeeze. "His heartbeat's still a little irregular and he'll have an oxygen mask, and they still have the cooling blanket on. He's also got a rash, but that's a common symptom of the scarlet fever. Just remember that he's pretty much stabilized and we've got him on all of the antibiotics and stuff he'll need to recover."

"Okay," Jethro said, taking a deep breath. He shook his head with a smile. "Damn, I don't know why I'm so nervous."

"It's okay, Jethro. I am too."

They stepped off the elevator and walked into the ICU. Shannon knew exactly where she was going and led Jethro by the hand. They stopped in front of a room that looked like all the rest, and Shannon gave Jethro a moment to steel himself before she opened the door.

The room itself was brightly painted, with a mural of zoo animals on one wall. The blinds were open so that sunlight streamed into the room, brightly lighting the chair in the corner and the single bed in the center of the room. In the single bed in the center of the room, lay Tony. He was covered in a loose sheet, on top of which lay the cooling blanket. There was an oxygen mask settled over his nose and mouth, and his face and neck was a mottled red and purple.

"Aw, hey little guy," Jethro said, crossing the room and pulling the chair directly next to Tony's bed. "You look better, buddy. Probably still feel pretty bad though, huh?"

Shannon watched as Jethro tucked his hand around Tony's tiny one, careful of the IVs that were protruding from it, as he sat and just talked to him, told him about his job, about Abby and Tim and Ziva and Kate, about Ducky and his mother and Palmer, about his favorite football team. Something about the scene was painful to see, twisted something inside of Shannon's stomach until it ached.

"J," Shannon said, hating to interrupt the intimate moment. Jethro turned around.

"I've got to go back to work. I've talked to Tony's doctor, and he's allowing you to stay here with him, okay?"

"Okay. Good. Have a good day, Shan, and try not to worry too much."

Shannon smiled and nodded.

"I'll try. I'll come by in a couple of hours. And don't forget to take care of yourself. Get some lunch."

"Okay. Tony and I will be fine, Shan."

"I know. Love you."

"Love you too."

xxxx

Jethro wasn't much of a talker. He preferred to act, to get stuff done and let his actions speak for themselves. Talking to Tony though, seemed to come naturally. He didn't know what he was saying half of the time wasn't even sure if Tony could hear him, just knew that talking might, in some small way, help the struggling boy in front of him, and he would do whatever he could to increase Tony's chances.

"…so MacGyver turns the coffin into a jet ski and gets away from his captors. A jet ski! I mean, I respect MacGyver as a man, but that was just ridiculous. Shannon laughed so hard that she snorted soda out of her nose. Have you ever seen MacGyver, buddy? You might like it. Or maybe you're more of a Magnum man. We'll have to watch them sometime, let you decide for yourself, huh?"

Tony didn't answer, but Jethro was almost certain he felt the small hand in his twitch slightly.

"Magnum, huh? I should've known you would like his mustache. Shannon says his mustache is sexy, wants me to grow one, but I think I would look terrible. What do you think?"

This time, Tony remained still.

"That's okay, it doesn't hurt my feelings. I know it would look bad."

Jethro was completely startled when someone behind him cleared his throat. He turned around to find a well-dressed man in what appeared to be an expensive looking suit and realized suddenly that he was gritting his teeth. This must be Senior.

"Hi, I'm Anthony DiNozzo, Tony's father. Who are you?" The man asked amiably, but Gibbs wasn't stupid, and he could feel the tension underlying the man's words.

"My name's Jethro Gibbs. I was here when Maria brought your son in. I've been keeping him company."

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence that Jethro suspected wasn't helped by his overwhelming desire to punch the man in front of him. His bandaged hand ached and he found himself clenching his fists.

"Is there a problem?" DiNozzo asked.

"No," Gibbs forced out, plastering a smile on his face.

"Then could I have some time alone with my son?"

_Hell no. _"Sure."

"Thanks."

Gibbs stepped out of the room, breathing deeply and steadily in an attempt to calm himself. He really had no right to say anything to the man, had no right to stand like a guard at Tony's door. Besides, DiNozzo was too worried about his image to try anything in the hospital, and he wasn't stupid for all that he was a bastard.

With a sigh and more reluctance than he thought possible, Jethro went to get some lunch.

xxxx

"Shannon, did you want to explain Tony's injuries to his father?" Marcie asked, coming up to Shannon as she filled out some paperwork.

"Why would I want to?"

"You've dealt with DiNozzo before, and you've been with Tony since this thing started."

"I'm not his doctor, Marcie. That's Randy's job."

"No. But you care about this little boy," Marcie said, then leant in closer to Shannon. "And between you and me, Tony's doctor is a little too in awe of DiNozzo. I know you'll tell it like it is."

"Randy doesn't mind?"

"He's scared shitless at the thought of talking to him. Tony's long-term prognosis isn't exactly a good one."

Shannon sighed. She knew it would take all of her willpower to tell him without losing her temper, but she would do it.

"He's here?"

Marcie nodded. "He's with Tony."

"Okay."

Shannon walked to Tony's room, taking a deep breath as she steeled herself to tell DiNozzo what the situation was. She was only partly surprised to find Jethro eating lunch in the waiting room, eyes trained on the door to Tony's room.

"Hey," Shannon said as she walked by.

"Hi," Jethro answered, wiping his mouth. "You going to check on him?"

"I'm going to go tell Senior how Tony's doing."

Jethro was quiet for a minute. "Don't lose your temper."

"I won't," Shannon said.

"It's harder than you think," Jethro murmured. "I almost decked him in Tony's room."

"I know, J. I'll be okay."

"Okay. I'll be out here if you need to take a minute or something."

"Thanks, Jethro. I'll be fine."

She knocked lightly at the door and stepped into the room. DiNozzo was sitting in the chair that Jethro had been in, arm crossed over his chest. He looked like he was inspecting his son; he certainly wasn't offering any comfort in the form of words or physical contact.

"Mr. DiNozzo?"

"Mrs. Gibbs. I can't say I expected to see you again."

"I'm here to discuss Tony's prognosis with you, Mr. DiNozzo."

"His prognosis? That doesn't sound good."

"It would be better, Mr. DINozzo, if he'd gotten the care that I prescribed for him. He came into the ER severely dehydrated and with some serious complications."

"Yes, you mentioned rheumatic fever over the phone yesterday."

"Unfortunately, yes. Rheumatic fever can have some serious effects. Tony's heart has been damaged by the fever, and it's likely that that's something he'll have to deal with permanently; it's still slightly enlarged and having a bit of arrhythmia, irregular heartbeats, but he's doing much better than he was. He's on oxygen because he's showing signs of some mild pneumonia, but that could have been much worse. In the future, it's also likely that he'll suffer from arthritis in his joints, and it's possible that he's suffered some hearing loss. At this point, we don't know how much or if it's permanent or not."

DiNozzo was silent for a second, clenching his jaw.

"So you're saying that Tony might be deaf?"

"It's possible that he's partially or fully deaf, yes."

"And the heart problems?"

"Likely permanent, though they may not be severe."

"Arthritis? As a child?"

"Yes. It can be very debilitating, but with anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy, it can be dealt with."

DiNozzo was quiet again.

"Can I be alone with my son, please?"

"Of course. I've brought some pamphlets that will help explain Tony's diagnosis and potential complications, but if you have any further questions feel free to ask me or Tony's doctor."

DiNozzo nodded numbly, accepting the pamphlets without comment, and Shannon left him alone.

"How'd you do?" Jethro asked as she walked out.

"I kept my temper amazingly well."

"How'd he take it?"

Shannon shrugged. "He didn't say much."

Jethro frowned. "I hope he's ready to give Tony as much love as he's going to need."

"Me too," Shannon said with a frown. "Me too."

As it turned out, DiNozzo wasn't ready. Not at all.

"Mrs. Gibbs?" He asked, walking up to the nurse's desk. Shannon looked up from the chart she was studying.

"Yeah. Did you have a question? Is Tony okay?"

"Oh, he's fine. I just, uh, needed to let you, well, the hospital, know something."

Shannon frowned. She'd never seen Anthony DiNozzo out of sorts before, but the man was clearly nervous.

"Okay," she said, setting the chart aside. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm terminating my parental rights."

Shannon's jaw dropped.

"You're what?"

"I'm terminat-"

"I heard you. What in the hell do you think you're doing?" Shannon demanded.

"I can't do this," DiNozzo answered. "I can't raise a damaged kid."

"A _damaged_ kid? He's still a little boy, Mr. DiNozzo, one who needs to be cared for and loved. He's going to have some extra issues, but that's no reason to _abandon_ him!"

"Mrs. Gibbs, I've talked to my lawyer. He'll be bringing the appropriate paperwork, and then I'll do what I need to. I assure you, this is entirely legal."

"Legal or not, this isn't _right_," Shannon hissed. "You're a real bastard, you know that?"

"Bastard or not, I've made my decision. Good day, Mrs. Gibbs," DiNozzo said, then walked away. Shannon stared after him, open mouthed and filled with more hatred and fury than she'd ever experienced before.

xxxx

Jethro saw the whole thing, and unlike his wife, he was spurred into action instead of stunned. He followed DiNozzo out into the parking garage and waited until the man was opening the door to make his move. He gripped DiNozzo by the shoulder and spun him around, shoving him up against the car.

"What the hell?" DiNozzo barked. Gibbs shook his head.

"You son of a bitch," he hissed, breathing heavily. "How in the hell can you just abandon your son? He _needs_ you, damn it! Did you hear how ill he is? And you're abandoning him, ripping out the only life he's known, taking away the only parent he remembers. You're going to kill him, DiNozzo."

DiNozzo's nostrils flared in anger as Gibbs glared down at him.

"I don't give a damn what you say to me, Gibbs. I can't, and I won't take care of a cripple. I-"

He was cut off by a blow to the face, one that snapped his head to the side. He wiped a trickle of blood from his split lip as Gibbs shook his hand out.

"You've made a serious mistake, Gibbs," DiNozzo spat. "And a powerful enemy."

Jethro laughed bitterly. "I'm not the one who's made the mistake, DiNozzo. You just threw away the best thing that ever happened to you."

"What would you know about it?" DINozzo demanded, but Gibbs was already walking away. "You'll regret crossing me, Gibbs! Do you hear me?"

Jethro continued walking, fury racing through his veins.

His hand was exploding in pain by the time he got back into the hospital, but he was numb to it, shaking with anger and despair, panic at the thought of Tony deteriorating further.

"Mr. Gibbs," someone said. Gibbs turned around, chest heaving with emotion.

"Maria?" He said, frowning. The woman was crying, tears streaming down her face.

"I have to leave," she said. "I must go back."

He realized what she was saying. DiNozzo was still her employer, and he wasn't going to allow her to stay with Tony.

"Please, give this back to him," she said, holding something out with a trembling hand. Jethro took it numbly. It was the stuffed bunny that Tony had clutched so fiercely.

"Thank you," Maria said, wiping away her tears. "Thank you."

And then she was gone, and Jethro was left alone with the bunny and his growing hopelessness.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you so much for the great reviews and the alerts and all that stuff! Also, I don't have any real medical knowledge, so I'm sorry if this is noticeably off. It may be a few days before the next update, but I'll try to be fast.

xxxx

"Hey Marcie, do you know where I can find Shannon?" Jethro asked, approaching the nurse's station with Tony's bunny clutched in one hand.

"That depends. Are you going to go waste more of her time?" Marcie asked, putting her hands on her hips. Jethro stared levelly at her.

"Yeah, I am."

Marcie grinned. "I know that there are some extenuating circumstances today, so I'll go ahead and page her for you. You can have a seat if you want."

"Thanks," Jethro said, settling into a chair and fingering the stuffed rabbit. It was brown and fuzzy with long floppy ears.

"Jethro?" Shannon said, walking in. "I thought you were going to go home."

"I am, Shannon, I just- Maria gave me this, and I thought Tony might want it," he said holding the bunny out. Shannon took it slowly, fingering the silky ears as he had done only a moment before.

"I gave this to him," Shannon said quietly. "I think it was his only toy."

"Can you give it back?" Jethro asked.

"Probably not. If he held it while he was sick…"

"Yeah. Well. I thought I would see, anyway."

Shannon looked at him with a frown, narrowing her eyes.

"Are you okay?" She asked. "You're holding your hand again."

Jethro looked down and realized that he was indeed cradling his hand. It was throbbing mercilessly.

"Oh. I'm fine. Little sore, that's all."

Shannon didn't look convinced, but finally nodded.

"Okay. I'll probably sit with Tony for a while after my shift ends and then I'll be home."

"Alright. See you then."

Jethro smiled at his wife one last time then walked out to the parking garage, trying not to remember what he'd done the last time he was in the parking garage.

They'd decided they weren't going to do anything stupid.

He'd done something stupid.

xxxx

"Hey sweetie," Shannon said, settling into the chair next to Tony's bed. He was still out of it, but his heartbeat had finally stabilized and his fever had lowered. The oxygen mask had been swapped for a nasal cannula.

"You're looking a lot better. I think your fever's just about gone. You'll probably have to hang out in the hospital for awhile, until we can figure everything out, make sure you're still okay, but you might get out of ICU in a few days. Good news, huh?"

Shannon picked up his right hand and thumbed the back of it around the IV line.

"You know, you've got a lot of potential, little guy. I think you're going to be a heck of a charmer when you're older, probably get all the ladies. Just flash your smile at them and they'll melt all over you. What do you think, huh?"

Shannon sighed and rubbed a hand across her forehead.

"Listen sweetheart, things are going to seem pretty bad when you wake up, but it's going to be okay. It might seem like you're all alone and things might be scary for awhile, but I love you. Jethro loves you. You aren't alone, and we're going to make sure that even if things are bad, you'll have someone to watch out for you. Okay? I promise, baby, we're going to take care of you."

A few minutes later, Shannon took a deep breath and smiled warmly at the boy in front of her.

"I'll be back to see you in the morning, okay? Sweet dreams, Tony," she whispered, kissing him on the forehead. She was surprised when the hand in hers twitched.

"Hey, hey, did you decide to wake up? Come on, sweetie, open those eyes," Shannon said, brushing the bangs off his forehead. Tony's eyelids fluttered, then opened. For a second, he looked around with an unfocused gaze, then settled on Shannon. He looked at her with wide eyes, blinking lethargically, clearly confused.

"Hey buddy," Shannon whispered, thumbing Tony's cheek. Tony blinked again, then smiled tiredly at her. He reached a hand out and touched a wisp of her hair before his eyelids slipped closed and he fell asleep again.

"See you in the morning, sweetie," Shannon whispered. She walked out of the room wiping tears from her cheeks, and picked up a pamphlet on foster parenting on her way out of the hospital. There was no way in hell she was letting Tony go home with anyone but her and Jethro.

xxxx

Jethro knew he was going to have to tell Shannon. He hated lying to his wife, and he knew that something this important, with this much potential to screw everything up, was something he had to tell her.

"Hey sweetie, I'm home," Shannon called when she walked in the door. She was carrying Tony's bunny, and a few pamphlets. She set the pamphlets down on the counter, then disappeared into the laundry room.

"I'm going to wash Tony's bunny, a few times, make sure we get it as clean as we can, and then I'll give it back to him in the morning."

"Oh, that's great," Jethro said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.

"I picked up some things on fostering," Shannon continued. "We'll have to attend a class and I'll need to be fingerprinted, but I think that we're shoo-ins for candidates. And with my medical knowledge and Tony's likely health problems, I don't think it'll be an issue at all."

"Wow, sweetie," Jethro said. "That sounds great."

Shannon started the washer, then turned around, frowning. "You said that already. What's wrong, J?"

"Nothing. Well, something. Something's wrong," Jethro said, stumbling over his words. Damn, he didn't know where to start, didn't know how to tell his wife that he might have screwed everything up-

"What did you do, Jethro?" Shannon asked, speaking slowly and enunciating every word.

"I did something stupid," Jethro admitted, running his good hand through his hair. Shannon's eyes widened in understanding.

"No. Oh no, you didn't. Jethro, you did not do something that puts this family, that puts Tony in jeopardy."

"I lost my temper, Shannon, it happened quickly, before I could think about it-"

"You hit him, didn't you! Jethro, how could you! We _said_ nothing stupid, we said that Tony was more important than that! How could you do that? How could you do that to me, to Tony?"

"Look, maybe nothing will happen-"

"Jethro, if he presses charges, we don't have a chance in hell of keeping you out of jail, let alone of gaining custody of Tony!" Shannon was crying as she spoke, tears streaming and voice trembling. Jethro couldn't remember feeling lower than

"I know, Shan, and I'm sorry. Okay? I know I screwed up, I know that, and I'm sorry."

"Jethro, I can't do this right now. I just- I can't. Okay? So, get your stuff for bed and sleep on the couch tonight, and maybe in the morning things will look better."

"Shannon-"

"J. I'm sorry. I'll be fine, it's just- it's gonna take me some time, okay? I need to wrap my mind around this, and figure out what I need to do. What we need to do."

"Okay, Shan. I'm sorry."

"I know. I'll see you in the morning."

Jethro lay down on the couch and tried vainly to fall asleep, tossing and turning, plagued with worry and guilt.

He pretended that he couldn't hear Shannon crying.

xxxx

Neither of them seemed to have gotten any sleep the night before. Shannon looked terrible, her face blotchy and red from crying, and she still wasn't talking to Jethro. They went around each other, practically through each other, but neither said anything.

"I, uh, I'm going to work," Jethro said finally. He fidgeted with his key ring, hoping that Shannon would say something to him before he walked out the door, but trying to look like he wasn't stalling.

Shannon walked into the front room, Tony's bunny in hand.

"I'm going to talk to Jason, the child protective services guy today. I'll see what I can figure out," she said, fiddling with the bunny's ears. "But you'd better figure out what you're going to do to fix this, Jethro. You're one of the most passionate, determined men I've ever met, and I love you for that. But that got you into this mess, and I know that it can get you out."

"I will. I'll fix this," Jethro said, looking at the floor.

"Good," Shannon said, walking towards the door.

"I love you, Shan."

Shannon hesitated, then answered without turning around. "I love you too." Then she walked out, shutting the door with a hollow click.

Jethro watched her go, then took a deep breath and left for work.

xxxx

"He woke up completely disoriented last night, and he started to get violent," Holly said, handing Shannon Tony's chart. "He's been sedated, but he should be coming out of it soon."

"Thanks Holly," Shannon said, flipping through the chart. "Damn, his heartrate's been all over the place."

"Hence the sedation," Holly said. "He's still pretty weak, and Randy doesn't want him exacerbating his lungs or heart too much. Of course, that might be difficult considering the poor kid's deaf and his father just left him."

"Shit," Shannon muttered under her breath. "He's lost his hearing, then?"

"Definitely at least partial deafness. I think he might have a little bit of hearing left, but not enough to calm him down. You've got your work cut out for you today."

"Awesome," Shannon said tiredly. "See you tomorrow?"

"No, I've got night shift again tonight."

"Oh. Then have a good weekend, see you Monday."

Shannon ran a hand through her hair. It had been a long night and it looked like the morning wasn't going to be any better. Still, Tony was going to need her help, and a lot of it, and she was more than willing to provide it.

"Hey. Long night?" Marcie asked, walking toward the nurse's desk. Shannon snorted.

"How could you tell?" She asked sarcastically. Marcie grinned at her.

"You look like hell, Gibbs."

"Gee thanks. So Tony had a rough night, huh?"

"Yeah. Sandy wanted an extra shift, so you're only on two patients today. I put you on DINozzo and Wilson."

"Thanks," Shannon said with a smile.

"Oh, and I sent out an e-mail, but I'm letting people know. You are in no way to disclose any information about Mr. DiNozzo's 'termination of parental rights' to anyone. His lawyer informed us this morning that if word gets out and it's traced back to the hospital, we'll get the shit sued out of us."

"Wow," Shannon said. "At least he feels a little guilty about it, even if it's only for his reputation."

Marcie scoffed. "Yeah, right. Anyway, don't talk about it, blah blah blah."

"Got it. Thanks, Marcie."

"No problem."

Tony was still sleeping, so Shannon checked on her other patient, a little girl who probably won't live out the week. She was guiltily pleased that the girl's parents hadn't shown up yet today and privately prayed that they wouldn't come until after her shift was over. She just didn't want to deal with grief-stricken parents today.

Shannon had just finished up the charting for the girl when the monitor conveying Tony's vitals to the nurse's desk started beeping.

"Looks like your boy's waking up," the charge clerk, Jamie, said, jerking her chin toward the flashing monitor. Tony's heartbeat was racing.

"Yep, looks like. Let Randy know, would you?"

"Sure thing."

Shannon walked into the room with the widest smile she could muster.

"Hey buddy, how are you feeling this morning?"

Tony was lying in bed, his hands clenching and unclenching in the blanket. His eyes were wide with fear, and his chest was heaving.

"Hey, hey, you're okay, you're okay," Shannon said, making sure to make physical contact. She palmed his forehead, felt the fever rising there, and clicked her tongue.

"None of that now," she murmured. "We don't want you ill again."

"Daddy?" Tony croaked, looking up at Shannon with tearful eyes. "Daddy?"

"He's not here today, sweetie," Shannon said, careful to keep her tenuous emotions out of her tone. "But you're okay, it's okay."

"What?" Tony asked, frowning. He brought a hand up and rubbed at his ear, tilting his head to the side. "What did you say?"

"You're okay," Shannon repeated, crouching down so that her head was level with Tony's. "Can you hear me?"

"What?" Tony repeated, growing slightly panicked. "I can't hear you."

"Okay, it's okay, hang on a second," Shannon said, pressing the call button above his bed. Tony was clutching her hand like a lifeline, tiny nails digging into her skin.

"Shannon?"

"Hey Jamie, could you make sure Randy's on the way? And see if you can get the pediatric counselor in here too."

"Sure thing, Shannon."

"Thanks," Shannon said, then turned back to Tony. "I know you're scared, sweetie, but you need to calm down," she murmured, continually stroking Tony's forehead and keeping eye contact with him. The physical touch seemed to be helping to soothe him, and she wanted him to stay as calm as possible.

"I can't hear you," Tony said again, staring up at her. "Why can't I hear you?"

"Hey, hey, ssh, hang on, buddy," Shannon said, watching in concern as Tony started gasping for breath. Shannon swapped out his nasal canula for a mask, somehow allowing him to continue clutching one of her hands as she did so.

"Hey Shannon, how's our little guy doing?" Randy asked, walking into the room.

"He can't hear me at all," Shannon answered. "It's freaking him out."

"Poor kid," Randy muttered, pulling his stethoscope out and warming it on his coat. "Sit him up."

Shannon helped Tony sit upright. He watched her the whole time, never losing eye contact, eyes wide with fear as he gasped for breath.

"I don't like the sound of his lungs," Randy muttered. "There's definitely some fluid buildup. Switch the penicillin to amoxicillin, see if that helps."

"Got it," Shannon said, moving to get the right medication.

"No!" Tony yelped, gripping tighter to Shannon's hand. "I mean p-please, don't go."

Shannon looked at Randy, who nodded and called for another nurse, then turned back to Tony.

She squeezed his hand and looked him in the eye.

"I won't, baby," she said. "I won't leave you." Impulsively, she leaned forward, pressing against Tony's forehead and nose with her own. She could feel tears on her cheeks and wasn't sure if they were hers or Tony's as he reached up with frail arms and wrapped them around her neck, burying his face in the crook between her neck and shoulder.

Somehow, holding Tony like that felt natural and right, and for a moment, nothing else mattered.

xxxx

Jethro took a deep breath as he got out of his car. It had been a long day at work, it had been a long night the night before, and somehow, he just didn't see it getting any better. He was careful not to look at the house as he approached it; Somehow, it was less foreboding to stare at the ground.

He knocked, lifting the huge brass knocker at the door and letting it fall with a heavy _thunk_.

The door swung open and revealed what could only be a butler.

"Yes?" The butler said, about as stereotypically as possible. He looked like every butler in every movie Gibbs had ever seen.

"I'm here to see Mr. DiNozzo."

"Is he expecting you?"

"Umm, no."

"What's your name?"

"Jethro Gibbs."

"Please, wait here."

Gibbs stood awkwardly, taking in the chandelier that dangled overhead, at the massive stair curving around the wall, at the marble flooring.

"Mr. Gibbs," a leeringly familiar voice said. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Gibbs turned around, taking in the figure of Anthony DiNozzo as he walked regally down the stairs, clearly trying to be dramatic, or foreboding or both.

"I need to talk to you," Jethro said, taking a deep breath.

"Okay," DiNozzo said, directing Jethro into a parlor and towards a couch. "Talk."

Jethro sat down and looked directly at DiNozzo, refusing to show fear or trepidation.

"I came to apologize."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Not a lot of Tony in this one, but there will be in the next, and I hope that this seems like a plausible scenario with DiNozzo Sr.

xxxx

Tony finally drifted off to sleep again, exhausted by the panic and its resulting strain on his body. Shannon stayed with him until he drifted off, humming under her breath and stroking his forehead in an effort to calm him while Randy and a handful of nurses worked on him.

"What do you think, Randy?" Shannon asked as she gently extracted herself from Tony's grip.

Randy sighed and rubbed a tired hand through his hair. "He's not doing as well as I'd like," he said, "but he could be a heck of a lot worse. I think he's already starting to respond better to the new antibiotics; his lungs sound clearer and his fever's dropping."

"But?"

"But there's more damage to his heart than I would like, and he's lost most of his hearing in both ears."

"So what's his prognosis? Long term?"

Randy sighed. "The aortic valve has been damaged. It's likely that he'll be able to have a relatively normal life for the most part, maybe with the occasional flare up. It could get bad, though, bad enough to cause congestive heart failure."

"Okay," Shannon said, trying to quell the emotions she felt rising. Tony needed her now more than ever, but what if they couldn't foster him? What if Jethro's mistake screwed it up?

Randy put a hand on Shannon's shoulder. "He'll make it, Shannon. He's one of the more tenacious kids I've dealt with."

Shannon managed a weak smile. "Yeah, he's special," she said. "I need to speak to Jason."

"Are you going to try to get him placed?" Randy asked.

"No. I'm going to try to give him a home. With me, and Jethro."

"I can't think of anyone better. He's going to need a lot of help."

"Yeah. Thanks for everything, Randy. I'll be back in a little while."

Shannon was trembling slightly with anxiety and anticipation as she waited for Jason. She'd worked with him before, numerous times to place abused or neglected or orphaned children, but this was the first time she'd ever been there for herself.

"Hey Shannon. You wanted to talk to me?"

Shannon looked up, trying to hide the overwhelming fear she felt.

"Yeah. Jethro and I want to become foster parents for Tony DiNozzo. I know that he's got some medical problems that are going to make placing him difficult, and I can't bear the thought of someone taking him that wouldn't care for him or treat him right, and I know that Jethro and I would." As she finished speaking, she realized how desperate she sounded, then realized that she didn't care. She _was _desperate.

"Shannon. It's okay. I think you would be a great foster parent, and as much as I hate to say it, you were right when you said it'll be hard to place him in a home. You know how difficult it is to find people that understand what they're getting into when they take on disabled children. You and Jethro will have to register, of course, but I've got that paperwork right here. You'll also be required to take a class on foster parenting, offered through the state, and then you should be good to go."

"That's great," Shannon said, but she didn't allow herself to relax. The hardest part was coming. "I have another question."

"Shoot," Jason said, pulling some papers out of a file folder.

"My husband- Jethro made a bit of a mistake last night, after he found out that Mr. DiNozzo abandoned Tony."

Jason froze. "What kind of mistake?"

"He, uh, he punched DiNozzo."

Jason let out a long breath. "Okay. Well, were there any witnesses?"

Shannon shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks despite her best efforts.

"Okay," Jason repeated. "Then between you and me, as long as DiNozzo doesn't press charges, we never had this conversation, and Jethro never punched anyone."

"Really?" Shannon breathed, wide eyed. Jason took a deep breath.

"Shannon, I know you. I know how much you care for these kids, and especially Tony. And I know about DiNozzo- hell, if he hadn't terminated rights, I'd be investigating him right now. So no, unless DiNozzo makes a fuss about it, it won't affect anything. If he does, though…" Jason allowed his voice to trail off, and Shannon nodded, wiping at her cheeks and offering up a prayer to anyone who would listen.

_Please. Just let us take care of this little boy._

xxxx

"Mr. DiNozzo, I came to apologize. As angry or frustrated as I might have been, I shouldn't have hit you yesterday."

DiNozzo leaned back in his seat, frowning and idly touching his swollen bottom lip.

"Mr. Gibbs, you don't strike me as the type of man who apologizes often, especially when you clearly felt so strongly."

"I'm not."

"Then to what end did you come here? You want something, Gibbs."

"I'm asking you not to press charges," Jethro said.

DiNozzo scoffed, letting out a small chuckle.

"Why wouldn't I? You assaulted me. I have every right to press charges."

"I know that, Mr. DiNozzo," Gibbs said, carefully steeling his features to keep his disdain for the man in front of him hidden. "I know that, and I know I was wrong. But I'm asking you, please, don't do this."

DiNozzo scrubbed at his chin. "Well, this poses a problem, Gibbs. What do you have to offer me in exchange? You don't have any money to speak of, no influence to throw around. What kind of businessman would I be if I started doing things for free?"

Gibbs grit his teeth, trying to calm himself down. DiNozzo was playing with him, and he wasn't even trying to be subtle about it. _Bastard._

"I don't have any of that stuff. What I do have is an open home, and a loving family for your son. Shannon and I want to adopt Tony, and there's no way that can happen if you do this."

DiNozzo was quiet, clearly taken aback.

"Please," Jethro said. "If you have any love for your son at all, please."

DiNozzo was again quiet for a moment. "Fine," he said finally. "I'll forget about our little encounter. But Gibbs, you owe me. And I can assure you, I'm not one to forget."

Gibbs nodded; he hated the thought of being in debt to a man like this, but for Tony- well, Tony was worth it.

"I'll remember."

"Good. My butler will see you to the door."

Gibbs stood up and made to leave the room, then hesitated.

"Unless there's something else?" DiNozzo said, his irritation clear.

"Could I pick up Tony's belongings?" Jethro asked. The thought had just occurred to him; maybe having a few familiar things would help Tony transition into living with them.

DiNozzo looked surprised. "You're serious," he said, uncharacteristically blunt.

"Damn straight," Gibbs answered. He was getting tired of pandering to this man.

"Okay," DiNozzo said finally, shrugging nonchalantly. "Makes no difference to me. Carl!"

The butler who had opened the door for Gibbs entered the room.

"Yes sir?"

Gibbs stifled a snort. They were back in the damn Victorian era.

"Could you please get the box from Tony's room?"

"Of course, sir," Carl answered, then bowed before leaving.

"I'll wait for him in the entryway," Gibbs said, exiting the room. Once outside, he took a deep breath and calmed himself down, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"Here you are," Carl said, handing Jethro a large, neatly taped box. The word 'CHARITY' was written on the side.

"Thanks," Jethro said, tucking the box under an arm.

"Sir," Carl said, holding a smaller paper bag out. "Take this too, please."

"Okay," Jethro said slowly, taking the extended bag. "Thanks." He was about to walk out when the unmistakable voice of Anthony DiNozzo stopped him.

"Mr. Gibbs," he said. Jethro forced himself to turn around.

"I'll be contacting you. I'm not sure when, or why, but I will."

"I know," Jethro said through clenched teeth. "And for the record, I still think you're an asshole."

Gibbs left before DiNozzo could respond, grinning slightly to himself as he started the car.

xxxx

"Hi," Shannon said when Jethro walked through the door. Jethro set the box down next to the couch and gave Shannon a tired smile.

"Hey."

There was an awkward silence filled with guilt and regret and anxiety and elation before they both tried to talk at once.

"Jason said-"

"I talked to-"

They both stopped, looking at each other.

"Come on," Jethro said, sitting down at the counter and patting the chair next to him. "You first."

Shannon settled onto the chair. "I talked to Jason today. He gave me the paperwork to fill out and we have to attend a class, but we can be foster parents."

"But?" Jethro said gently, hearing the hesitation in Shannon's tone.

"But DiNozzo can't be pressing charges."

Jethro leaned back, a grin on his face.

"You don't have to worry about that," he said smugly. Shannon looked horrified.

"You _killed _him?" She whispered, eyes wide.

"No! No, sweetie, hell no. No, I apologized to him."

Shannon, if possible, looked even more horrified.

"You didn't."

"I did."

"You did? What happened? What did he say?"

"He agreed not to press charges," Gibbs said. "I guess he finally wanted to do something halfway decent for his kid." There was no way he was telling her about DiNozzo's stipulation.

Shannon eyed him skeptically.

"He just let it go? Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Jethro!" Shannon squealed, launching herself at her husband. Jethro caught her with a laugh, kissing her forehead.

"Oh, baby, we're going to have a little boy, and we're going to give him a home and all the love he can handle, and we're going to be _parents_ and can you believe it? Oh, I can't even- holy hell, Jethro, I'm in a mood. Just- let me go change okay? Let me go change and then we'll-"

She was cut off by a kiss from Jethro.

"I'd love to, babe," Jethro said, kissing her again, "but I forgot to tell you something."

Shannon stopped abruptly.

"What?" She asked. "What is it?"

"Hey, hey, it's nothing bad. I just asked DiNozzo for Tony's belongings. I didn't want to look at them without you."

"Oh," Shannon said. "You're so sexy when you're thoughtful, J."

Jethro laughed. "Damn, you are in a good mood, Shan."

"Hell yes I am. Let's look at Tony's things and then we can turn in early, huh?"

"Sounds great," Jethro said with a mischievous grin. "As if I would turn that down."

Shannon smacked him lightly as he got up to retrieve the box and paper bag.

"Really?" Shannon muttered, flicking a knife angrily through the tape on the boxes. "Charity? Bastard."

Jethro smiled lightly and pulled the box open. Inside were neat piles of clothes with a few pairs of shoes on top.

"Aw, look, a pair of suspenders," Shannon murmured. "And a pinstripe vest."

"His shoes look like they've never been worn. Probably polished every day," Jethro said, looking closely at a tiny pair of black loafers.

"Was he ever a kid?" Shannon asked, pulling out a navy blue blazer. "I bet he looks adorable in this stuff, though."

"He'd look adorable in anything," Jethro said, kissing Shannon's head. "There aren't any toys. No blankets, no books, nothing."

"We'll have to change that, huh?" Shannon murmured, wrapping a hand around Jethro's neck."I love you, Jethro."

"I love you too, Shan," Jethro answered, kissing her hand. "Oh, I forgot."

"What?"

"The butler gave this to me on my way out the door," Jethro said, grabbing the paper bag. "I'm not sure what it is."

He opened it and peered inside, letting out a small sigh, before turning it over and dumping the contents out on the table.

There were photos, pictures of Tony grinning, smile spreading over his whole face. There was one of him on a swing, mid-laugh. Another showed him in a pinstripe suit, hair carefully slicked to the side, and another had him dressed in a white sailor suit, scowling.

"Oh, he is so beautiful," Shannon breathed, gently fingering one of the photos.

"Look," Jethro said, holding up a lock of hair tied with a ribbon. "Must be from his first haircut."

"Oh, J," Shannon said, picking up a picture of Tony as a baby. He was round faced and rosy, wispy brown hair sticking up.

"He's gonna be a looker," Jethro commented. Shannon nodded, eyes filled with tears. "What's up, Shan?"

"I just, I don't see how someone couldn't love this precious baby," she said, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, what did I tell you? You don't apologize for that, Shannon," Jethro said, holding her chin in one hand. He kissed her forehead. "Not ever."

"Oh, Jethro, he might get out of ICU tomorrow. It'll probably still be a week, maybe more, before they release him, but we need to get ready. We need to take our classes and fill out our paperwork, and turn the office into a room-"

"Hey. I want to do his room, okay?" Jethro said. "I only work a couple days next week and I've got the weekend off. I want to do it."

"Okay," Shannon said. "Do you need my help picking out colors-"

"Babe, I've been stuck watching HGTV with you enough to know my color schemes," Jethro said with a wink.

"Fine," Shannon said, kissing him. "You know how I think you're sexy when you're thoughtful?"

"Yeah," Jethro said. "I know."

"Well, I think you're sexier when you're being a handyman," Shannon said, running her fingers through Jethro's hair.

"If you want, I could take my shirt off and grab a wrench, maybe bend over the sink and show off my ass," Jethro teased, raising his eyebrows suggestively. Shannon laughed and planted another kiss.

"No," she whispered between kisses, "that would take too long."

"Mm," Jethro answered. "Want to at least go somewhere more comfortable?" He asked.

"Yeah," Shannon breathed. Jethro swung her up in his arms and marched off to the bedroom.

It sure as hell beat the couch.


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey buddy," Shannon said quietly, stroking Tony's hair back from his forehead. "You're getting transferred today. You're getting better, so you get to leave ICU. Isn't that exciting?"

Tony watched her with wide, teary eyes, lower lip trembling.

"I can't hear you," he said, his voice cracking. "I want to hear you."

"I know, sweetie, I'm sorry," Shannon said, keeping up the physical contact. "Jethro is coming to see you today. He'll show you some sign language."

Tony sniffled.

"Oh, I have something for you. You can have it now that you're not in ICU anymore," Shannon said. She reached down to her bag and pulled out the stuffed rabbit Tony had clutched so tightly.

Tony's eyes lit up. "Bunny!" he cried, grabbing it eagerly. He nuzzled his face into the silky fur and held it there for a minute. A few minutes later, Shannon could see that Tony's shoulders were shaking.

"Oh, sweetie, you don't need to cry," she said, wrapping him in a hug.

"Sorry," Tony said loudly, impatiently swiping a hand across his runny nose. "'M not s'posed to cry."

"Tony," Shannon said, cupping Tony's chin in her hand. "It's okay. That's okay." She tried to convey what she was saying through her expression, tried to make Tony understand what she was saying, but she wasn't sure if it was working.

"I wanna go home," Tony whispered. "Please?"

"Not today, sweetie, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, baby," Shannon soothed, wrapping Tony up in her arms. "I'm sorry, babe."

Tony wriggled in her grasp, stubbornly pushing himself away from her.

"Tony, sweetheart, I know this is hard," Shannon murmured, rubbing Tony's back.

"I just wanna go home," he whimpered with a sigh. Shannon rubbed his back until she felt him relax into sleep.

xxxx

After work, Jethro called Shannon. His wife was distraught, concerned about Tony and how he was coping with everything and tearfully asked Jethro to go see him.

"Listen Shannon, I'll go talk to him. And I'm sure that Tony isn't lashing out at you personally. He's lonely and scared and confused."

"I know that, J, it's just hard, you know? He wouldn't even look at me."

"Shan, you know that that's going to come with the territory, right? When we're parents?"

"He wouldn't look at me because I can't talk to him and I can't take him home. That's not going to happen when we're his parents. But you're right, Jethro. I need to lighten up."

"No, just relax for now, Shannon. It's going to be hard for a little while, but then it will get better. Okay? He's going to have good days and bad days, and his bad days are probably going to be pretty low. But that'll make the good days that much better, right?"

"Yeah. You're right, J. Thank you."

"Not a problem. I'll see you when I get home."

Tony was lying listlessly in the bed when Jethro walked in, his bunny tucked in next to his side.

"Hey Tony," Jethro said, waving broadly to catch the little boy's attention. Tony hesitantly waved back, clearly uncertain if he trusted Gibbs or not.

"How you doing today?" Jethro asked, settling in to the chair beside the bed. Tony shrugged.

"I can't hear you," he said loudly.

"I know," Jethro answered, signing the words as he said them. Tony's eyes widened.

"Hi," Jethro signed, "My name is Jethro." He finger-spelled his name, watching Tony closely for a reaction. The little boy was watching him with rapt attention. Jethro pointed at himself and spelled his name again, then pointed at Tony and spelled out TONY. Tony's jaw dropped.

"Tony?" He asked. Jethro nodded. "Again!" Jethro grinned and did it again.

"Now you!" Tony shouted excitedly, pointing at Jethro. Jethro complied.

"Now Bunny!" Tony cried holding Bunny up. Jethro finger spelled BUNNY, then made the sign for rabbit, bringing his hands up next to his head and waggling them like ears. Tony giggled, and Jethro smiled at the unexpected sound.

"Like that, huh?" Jehtro said, repeating the sign. Tony laughed again and then copied the motion.

"Alright!" Gibbs cheered, signing as he spoke. "Great job!" He obviously and clearly clapped his hands to let Tony know that he was happy. Tony laughed again, then pointed to himself. Jethro carefully and slowly spelled his name out. Tony stuck his tongue out in concentration as he struggled to emulate Jethro's actions. He got T-O easily, then struggled on the N.

"Here, like this," Jethro said, leaning forward. He started to guide Tony's fingers when the boy snatched his hand away with a sharp gasp.

"Oh, sorry buddy," Jethro said, signing out 'sorry.' Tony turned his head away. "Okay, bud, but you can't get rid of me that easily," Gibbs said, pulling a book out of his backpack. He started reading it, making a big show of flipping the pages. He caught Tony looking at him sideways, but the boy looked away quickly when they made eye contact. Jethro continued reading until he felt a tugging at his sleeve.

"Oh, hey," he said, turning to face Tony. "_Do you want to see_?" He signed, lifting the book. Tony nodded.

"_Book_," Jethro signed, pointing at the book. Tony repeated the action. "Alright!" Gibbs said with a big smile. Tony repeated happily, giggling, then tugged at Jethro's sleeve again.

"_Book_," he signed, and Jethro chuckled.

"Okay, okay," he said. He opened the book to the first page. "This is a lion," he said, making the sign for lion. Tony copied him.

"He's walking in the grass," Jethro said, signing 'walk' and 'grass.' Tony again copied this.

"Okay, what is this?" Jethro asked, pointing at the lion. Tony quickly made the correct sign, giggling when Jethro reacted with an exaggerated expression of surprise.

"That's right!" Gibbs said, then laughed when Tony quickly signed 'walk' and 'grass,' watching for Jethro's face and laughing when he again feigned surprise. Tony's giggles abruptly turned into hacking, wet coughs that left him gasping for air and hunched over, one hand pressed to his chest.

"Hang on, buddy," Jethro said, leaning over the bed to press the call button. "Come on, Tony, breathe." He started patting Tony on the back, then quickly started pounding as his panic increased.

"I need help in here!" Jethro bellowed, relieved when a nurse finally rushed into the room.

"Keep pounding," she said, swapping Tony's nasal cannula with a mask. "He needs to get the crap out of his lungs."

Jethro complied, trying not to allow himself to completely panic. Finally, Tony stopped coughing, breathing in heaving gasps interspersed with sobs. He cried loudly, tears rolling down his face.

"Hey, hey, you're okay now, you're alright," Jethro said standing back awkwardly, uncertain how much contact Tony would be comfortable with. That was made clear pretty quickly when Tony held his arms out, demanding to be held.

"Okay, kid, okay," he murmured, wrapping his arms around Tony's shaking form. He was startled by how thin the boy felt, even though he'd carried him into the hospital.

"Don't- I can't- please, stay," Tony sobbed, burrowing himself into Jethro's chest.

"Okay," Jethro whispered. He started stroking Tony's back, then gripped Tony's hand in his. He carefully spelled out 'OK' on Tony's palm, over and over again. "It's okay, Tony. Ssh, it's okay."

xxxx

The rest of the week passed quickly. Shannon and Jethro attended classes in the evenings, finishing the required hours in record time, their paperwork completed and turned in. They were visiting with Tony daily, together or alone, and Shannon had started to learn sign language. Tony was eating up the signs that Jethro was teaching him, eager to learn a way to communicate, and he was rapidly improving physically as well.

"J, they're saying Tony should be okay to come home first thing next week!" Shannon said excitedly, jumping up and down a bit.

"I know, and that's why you're officially banned from the office for the weekend. I'm going to be working on Tony's room."

Shannon frowned. "Do you think you'll be able to finish in time?"

"Of course, Shan. Besides, I won't be alone."

"No?"

"Nope. I've got McGee and Abby for sure, maybe Kate or Ziva."

Shannon laughed. "You wrangled your team into painting a bedroom during their weekend off?" She asked, shaking her head.

"Yeah, they're all excited about it. I told them that I'd let them come over and meet Tony once he's settled in and comfortable."

"You sly dog. You would've wanted them to meet him anyway."

"Of course I would," Jethro said, smiling and planting a kiss on Shannon's neck. "But they don't need to know that."

"Okay. Well, I'm going to go shopping, pick up some clothes and toys. You know, get the basics."

"Great. I've got the bedroom furniture and bedding and all that, so don't worry about that stuff. Oh, and Marcie called. Said there was an issue with your paycheck or something?"

"Damn it. I'll stop by the hospital before I go shopping, then. See you later, J."

xxxx

"If anyone can handle this situation, it's you guys," McGee said, painting carefully around the tape marking off the baseboard from the rest of the wall. "I mean, you're, well, you, and Shannon is kinda, I dunno, feisty."

Jethro let out a laugh. "That she is. Yeah, I think she's going to be good for him."

"So will you, Gibbs," Abby interjected.

"Yes," Ziva said, looking up from the section of the wall she was working on. "I believe that you will make a good father."

Jethro didn't answer, focusing instead on the wall.

"Do you think Shannon will be surprised?" McGee asked.

"Oh yeah. Definitely," Jethro answered. Abby squealed and clapped her hands, flinging paint over hers and McGee's clothes.

"Sorry," she said with a laugh, trying to wipe the paint from Tim's shirt and just smearing it worse.

"Good thing I hate this shirt," McGee muttered. Ziva laughed.

"You should hate it," she said. "It does not look filling on you."

"Flattering, Ziva," Tim said.

"That is what I said," Ziva answered.

"Hey. Stop arguing and paint," Gibbs barked, but none of them missed the smile he tried so hard to hide.

xxxx

Shannon tried to contain her irritation at having to stop by the hospital on a weekend, but she wasn't sure that she was really succeeding.

"Damn girl, you look ready to whale on something," Marcie commented. "Come on, we'll go get that paycheck figured out."

"Okay. This better not take too long," Shannon said, hoping that came out less like a growl than she thought it did.

"Sometimes I think you're channeling that husband of yours. Other times, I think he's channeling you."

Shannon barked out a laugh.

"Yeah, sometimes we're probably more alike than is healthy," she conceded, then frowned. "Where are we going, Marcie? Human Resources is the other direction, and we just passed your office."

"Oh, oops," Marcie said, but she didn't stop walking.

"Marcie?"

"Right here," Marcie said, opening the door to a conference room.

"What?" Shannon asked, frowning. Marcie rolled her eyes and walked inside. "Marcie-" Shannon started, following after her friend, but she was cut off by a loud 'Surprise!'

"What the hell is this?" Shannon asked, feeling her eyes well up. There was a large cake on the table, balloons scattered around, and a large pile of gifts.

"It's not really a baby shower, per se, but more of a 'New Mom Shower,'" Marcie explained, giving Shannon a quick hug.

"Wow, I'm-" Shannon paused, clearing her throat. "I'm speechless."

"That's a new one," someone snickered and everyone laughed, Shannon included.

"Wow, thank you so much," she said, surveying the room. Almost all her coworkers were there, Kate was there, even her sister had driven down. "Thank you."

xxxx

"Well?" Abby asked as soon as Shannon walked through the door. Kate and Shannon's sister Tammy followed close behind, arms laden with various bags and packages.

"You guys certainly did a good job keeping me in the dark," Shannon said with a grin. "I brought enough cake for all of you to have some."

"Was it fun?" Tim asked, getting a piece of cake and handing it to Ziva.

"Yeah," Shannon answered. "It was really fun."

Jethro looked at his wife, who was radiating with that glow that he'd seen before on expectant women, and knew that the 'New Mom Shower' had been more meaningful than the women who had thrown it would ever know.

"What about you guys?" Kate asked, grinning mischievously. "Looks like you got a lot done," she finished, looking at their paint spattered clothes.

"It's all painted," Jethro answered. "We'll let it dry overnight and then move everything in tomorrow."

"It looks great!" Abby added, and Ziva nodded.

"Well, I can't wait to see it," Shannon said. "Now who's hungry? I'm in the mood for pizza."

Jethro watched as his wife and friends clamored to order the perfect pizzas, smiling to himself. His family was here, happy and squabbling, and in the next few days it would become complete.

Things were looking good.


	8. Chapter 8

Tony was confused and scared, tiny shudders running up and down his body as Shannon pushed his wheelchair toward the entrance of the hospital.

"Daddy?" He said, turning in his seat to look at Shannon. "Home?"

Shannon smiled at him. "You're going home, sweetie," she said, wishing she could explain better. "It's okay." She paused in the hallway and held his palm, tracing OK on it. It seemed to calm and soothe Tony, an intimate gesture that only Jethro and Shannon knew. It seemed to work this time, too, as Tony took a few deep, calming breaths and seemed to relax fractionally.

"Here's our car," Shannon said, pointing clearly to the car as Jethro pulled up to the hospital. Tony nodded and gulped loudly.

"Hey buddy," Jethro said, signing Tony's name as he spoke. Tony smiled and signed Jethro's name back, but he still looked anxious. "Come here," Jethro murmured, holding his arms out. He scooped Tony out of the wheelchair and into his arms, cradling both Tony and Bunny to his chest. Shannon smiled and thanked the nurse who took the wheelchair back, then ducked inside the car. They'd gotten a booster seat for Tony, and had made certain that they knew how to buckle him in before actually coming to pick him up.

"There you go, kiddo," Jethro said, settling Tony in his seat and buckling him in. Shannon helped from her side, and tickled Tony lightly in the ribs when they were done.

"All ready to go, huh?" She said, smiling when Tony giggled and squirmed away from her. She and Jethro had decided that she would ride in the back seat so that Tony could have someone to keep him calm and comfortable on the way home.

"_How are you doing_?" Shannon signed to Tony. Tony shrugged.

"_Scared." _

Shannon nodded and took Tony's hand in hers, hardly able to believe that it was finally happening. She and Jethro were going to be parents and Tony was going to have a loving family. It seemed surreal, amazing, almost beyond comprehension. They'd waited so long for this…

Tony tugged gently on her sleeve, startling Shannon out of her reverie.

"_Sad?_" Tony signed, looking at her worriedly. Shannon let out a little laugh as she realized she'd been crying.

"_No. Happy." _

Tony tilted his head to the side. _"Why?" _

"_You." _Shannon wanted to say so much more than that, but she hoped that would suffice. Tony frowned.

"_Me?"_ He signed, clearly confused.

Shannon nodded, frustrated by her inability to communicate what she wanted to say.

"_Love you_," she said finally. Tony's eyes widened and he reached over and wrapped an arm around Shannon's neck.

When they pulled up to the house, Jethro walked around and undid Tony's seatbelt, then lifted him into his arms once again. He knew that Tony was 4 years old, definitely old enough to walk by himself, but as he felt the thin legs wrap around his waist and the arms firmly clamped around his neck, the soft hair cushioned on his collarbone, he didn't really care.

"Okay, buddy, here you go," Jethro said, setting Tony down on the floor in the entryway. Tony stayed close to him, one arm wrapped around Jethro's knee, the other gripping Shannon's pant leg.

"You want to go upstairs?" Jethro asked, gesturing and then making the sign for stairs. Tony looked up at him, clearly anxious, then nodded slowly. Jethro gently peeled Tony off of his leg, then held his hand tightly.

"Come on, buddy," Jethro said, guiding him up the stairs. Halfway up, Tony seemed to get a little tired, so Jethro picked him up by the armpits, tickling him a bit as he did. Tony squirmed and giggled until they reached the top of the stairs, when Jethro set him down.

"Okay, Tony, this is your room," Jethro said, gesturing towards the closed door they were in front of. Tony stood uncertainly in front of the door, Bunny clutched tightly to his chest.

"Go on," Jethro said, nudging him lightly. Tony looked back at him, eyes wide. Jethro nodded and smiled, gesturing again to the door. Tony still hesitated, looking back at Shannon.

"It's okay," Shannon said, giving him a thumbs up. Finally, Tony walked to the door and carefully opened it.

"Oh, J," Shannon gasped, looking at the room. Tony stepped slowly into the room, Bunny dragging behind him.

The walls were a warm, grassy green with a neat white trim, and the bed had a comforter with zoo animals on it. In front of the bed was a small area rug with a lion on it, and against one wall was a shelving unit with canvas storage bins filled with toys. A small drawing desk sat in front of it the shelf, and a rocking chair sat in the opposite corner. Tony walked around slowly, touching everything tentatively, almost reverently, before turning back to Shannon and Jethro.

"_Mine?" _He signed. At their affirmative nods, he let out a little whoop of joy and started jumping around the room. He stood on the rug and signed the word 'lion,' then jumped in front of a basket of books, signing 'book.' He ran to the bed and threw himself onto it, signing 'elephant' and 'hippopotamus' and 'crocodile,' pointing gleefully to each animal on the comforter as he did it.

Shannon watched with tearful eyes, leaning up against her husband.

"Thank you, Jethro," she whispered. Jethro squeezed her shoulder and blinked back his own emotions. Suddenly, Tony flung himself at them, hugging them around the legs.

He signed 'thank you, thank you' multiple times, then continued bounding around, inspecting the toys and looking at the books, making little noises of contentment.

"You did good," Shannon said, watching Tony play.

"We did good, Shan. This happened because of you."

Shannon smiled as Jethro kissed the top of her head, watching Tony play.

"I think he's getting tired," she whispered, watching as Tony yawned and scrubbed at his eyes but stubbornly remained awake.

"Yeah. Why don't you go head and lay down for a little while? You look worn out. I'll wait until Tony falls asleep and put him to bed. We can have dinner after you wake up."

"Thanks, J," Shannon said. "I am a bit tired. I'll pop a lasagna in the oven."

"Okay. See you soon."

Before long, Tony got tired enough that he was swaying as he sat on the floor, Bunny in one hand, a plastic dinosaur in the other, on the verge of just passing out. Jethro smiled fondly as Tony's head drooped forward, then jerked up, then drooped forward again.

"Come on buddy, naptime," Jethro said, leaning down and gathering Tony and Bunny and the dinosaur up in his arms. Tony struggled sleepily for a second before settling down and relaxing. Jethro eased him onto the bed and pulled a quilt up over him.

"Shannon's mother made this for Shannon before she died. She wanted Shannon to give it to her first child. That's you, buddy," Jethro whispered, tucking the quilt over Tony's slender form.

When he pulled away, Tony stared at him worriedly, eyes wide with concern.

"It's okay, bud," Jethro said, signing as he spoke. "I'm right here." He settled in to the rocking chair, making sure that he could see Tony and that Tony could see him. Tony stubbornly continued to watch him, blinking rapidly until his eyelids started drooping, taking longer and longer to open again. Finally, his eyes drifted shut and stayed that way. Jethro smiled lightly and let himself drift off to sleep too.

He'd only closed his eyes for a minute or two when he felt a weight on his lap.

"Oh, hey kiddo," he said, smiling as Tony clambered onto his lap, this time dragging Bunny, the dinosaur, and the quilt with him.

"Let me help," Jethro murmured, helping Tony get comfortable. Soon the little boy's head was nestled on his shoulder, the dinosaur's tail poking into his cheek, Bunny mashed up against his chest, and the quilt settled over both of them. Somehow, Jethro had never felt so comfortable.

xxxx

When Shannon woke up a couple hours after she'd first lied down, she stretched and smiled and crept quietly to Tony's bedroom. Easing the door open, she nearly melted when she saw her boys. Tony was squashed up against Jethro on the rocking chair, her mother's quilt spread over both of them.

Gently, Shannon reached down and picked up Tony's curled form, brushing her finger over his nose and cheeks to wake him.

"Hey beautiful," she whispered when his blue-green eyes fluttered open. He smiled sleepily and stretched his arms, nearly hitting her in the face with a dinosaur. Shannon laughed and gently guided the hand away from her face, then nuzzled her nose in Tony's stomach. Tony squealed and giggled, kicking out and squirming. Shannon set him down and turned around to see Jethro waking up, the quilt slipping onto the floor as he stood.

"Are you hungry?" Shannon said, signing to Tony as she spoke. Tony nodded eagerly. "Come on then," Shannon said, holding her hand out. Tony looked from her hand to his toys, then back to her hand, then finally to Jethro. Jethro shrugged, leaving the choice up to Tony. Taking one last, longing look at the dinosaur, Tony dropped it on the floor and hurried towards Shannon, tucking his hand in hers.

"There you go," she said, leading Tony toward the stairs. Tony jumped as they walked, clearly rejuvenated from his nap. He even jumped down the stairs, slipping once and saved from a fall only by Shannon's grip on his hand.

"He's going to be a firecracker," Jethro observed from behind them, and Shannon laughed.

"As if you aren't," she said, twisting around to stick her tongue out at him. Tony, who had been closely observing the interaction, did the same thing. Surprised, Jethro stuck his own tongue out at the little boy, grinning when Tony barked out a laugh and jumped down the last stair.

Shannon had been pretty sure that Tony wasn't big enough to eat at the table yet, but they didn't want him to be stuck in a high chair, so had gotten a booster seat for him. Jethro helped him in and gently took Bunny, setting him on the ground next to Tony's seat as Shannon brought the food to the table.

"Have you ever had this before?" Jethro signed. Tony leant over the table, looking closely at the lasagna, then shrugged. "It's good," Jethro signed, waggling his eyebrows. Tony smiled and sat back in his chair, waiting patiently as Shannon dished up some lasagna and salad and a breadstick on a plate that had Batman on it. She poured him some juice in a Batman cup and handed it to him. Tony looked at the cup, wide eyed, then turned to Jethro.

"_What is this?"_ He gestured, pointing to the cup.

"_Batman_," Jethro answered, knowing full well that that wouldn't mean anything to Tony. Still, Tony reverently repeated the sign, sipping at his juice without taking his eyes off the superhero on his cup. Shannon snickered at the comical eye-crossing that resulted. Tony looked up at her and saw her attempting to cover her mouth, and repeated the action, this time exaggerating the motion. Shannon nearly choked on her food, and Jethro rolled his eyes fondly even as he grinned.

"Ah, hell, we've got ourselves a little actor," he said as Tony played with the cup.

Shannon finally regained control of herself. "Yeah we do," she said, tapping Tony's arm.

"Hey bud," she said, "You need to eat." She signed the word for eat and pointed at the food that was still sitting on Tony's plate. Tony grinned unabashedly at her and Shannon forced herself to remain straight-faced.

"He's already got you wrapped around his little finger," Jethro observed as Tony began eating his food with far more care than most four year olds would.

"Oh, really, J?" Shannon asked with a smile. "What about you?"

"I'm immune to his charms," Jethro said with a wink. Shannon snorted.

"Oh, yeah? That's why you slept with a dinosaur tail poking into your cheek?"

Jethro blushed a bit, then focused on his food. Tony caught his attention by very deliberately signing a large 'J,' then pointing to the juice. Jethro gave him the sign for juice and waited patiently for Tony to repeat it before pouring him another cup. Tony signed thank you and took the cup eagerly.

After dinner, Shannon looked at Tony.

"Hey Tony, do you want a bath?" She asked, looking to Jethro and copying the sign he made. Tony frowned, clearly uncertain of what she was asking. Shannon made the sign for stairs and Tony nodded eagerly, climbing down out of his chair.

"Hey," Jethro said, tapping Tony's shoulder and holding up his dishes. Tony reached up to the table and pulled his dishes down, balancing them carefully as he followed Jethro into the kitchen. He stood on his tiptoes and shoved his dishes onto the counter, then ran to Shannon, grabbing her hand in his and tugging her toward the stairs. Shannon smiled and followed him up the stairs, but stopped him before he could go to his room.

"This way, kid," she said, gesturing to another door. Tony opened it, then stood with a frown on his face. He turned back to Shannon, giving her a look that was clearly asking if she was serious.

"Yeah," she said, "it's bath time."

Tony frowned again, but slowly walked into the bathroom, feet dragging.

"Hey," Shannon said, tickling him in the sides. "Smile, buddy." She quickly got the bathwater running, then added some bubbles. Tony's eyes grew wide as the water started foaming, and he started to get into the bathtub, clothes and all.

"Whoa, whoa, hang on," Shannon laughed, pulling him back and pulling his shirt off. Tony shivered lightly and tiny goosebumps popped up on his arms. Shannon held him to her as she pulled off his pants and underwear, laughing when he bounded into the tub as soon as he was naked.

He started splashing immediately, flinging water over Shannon and all over the floor.

"Tony!" Shannon cried, laughing, but Tony looked horrified.

"Sorry, 'm sorry," he said loudly, trying to duck away from her.

"It's okay," Shannon said, kneeling down next to the tub. "It's alright, honey."

Tony still wouldn't make eye contact, so Shannon flicked a bit of water at him. Tony's eyes widened and he giggled, splashing her again, but gently.

By the time Tony was washed down, Shannon was completely drenched.

"Come on, time to get out," she said, holding out a towel for Tony to step in to. Tony got out of the water, hair plastered to his head and teeth chattering. Shannon quickly dried him off, leaving the towel wrapped around him and pulling the hood up over his head. Tony grinned, then reached up, feeling something on the hood. He looked quizzically at Shannon, who smiled and held him up in front of the mirror. Tony laughed as he saw that the towel looked like a lion, and that the hood had ears on it.

"Let's get you some pajamas," Shannon said, setting him down again. She went to grab his hand and was surprised when instead, Tony let out a whoop and took off running, the towel dropping off behind him.

"Tony? Tony!" Shannon called, running after the naked little boy. She caught up with him downstairs, where Jethro had him hanging upside down by his feet, tickling his tummy mercilessly. Tony was screaming with laughter, trying to squirm away from Jethro's grip. He finally retaliated by reaching out and tickling Jethro's stomach, laughing even harder when Jethro gasped in surprise and then fell exaggeratedly onto the floor. Tony giggled, sitting on top of Jethro and tickling him, cracking up as Jethro wiggled in an attempt to get away.

"Gotcha!" Shannon yelled, grabbing Tony under the armpits. She swung him up and blew a raspberry on his bare belly, tears unexpectedly welling up as she heard Tony practically crying with laughter. Damn, it felt good to hear that.

Shannon carried Tony up the stairs and let him down in his room as she pulled out a pair of pajamas.

"Come here, you," she said, smiling as Tony threw himself into her arms. She handed him a pair of underwear, watching as he struggled to get his legs into the right holes, then helping him pull them up. He only needed a little bit of help to get dressed, and Shannon smiled proudly when he was done, throwing his arms out expectantly in an obvious 'ta-da' movement.

Shannon clapped for him, then wrapped him up in a hug. Tony hugged her back then squirmed out of her hold, running to his bed and grabbing Bunny, then picking up the quilt from where it had fallen onto the floor.

"Just about bedtime, huh sport?" Jethro said from the doorway. Tony looked up and grinned at him, pointing at himself proudly. "Great job, Tony," Jethro said, signing as he spoke. Tony beamed.

"Okay, bud, bedtime," Shannon said, pulling the covers down. Tony seemed to lose some of his excitement and walked slowly to the bed, climbing in uncertainly.

"We aren't going to leave you, bud," Jethro said, signing to Tony. He pulled the covers up to Tony's chin, then leant forward and kissed him on the forehead. Shannon did the same thing.

"He seemed to settle when I was in the rocking chair," Jethro murmured, looking at Shannon. "He's still trying to adjust."

"Yeah," Shannon agreed. "I'll stay with him until he falls asleep."

"Okay. Night, buddy," Jethro said, again signing, then turned out the light. A few minutes later, Shannon joined him in the bedroom.

"He's out like a light, poor kid," Shannon said.

"He's tired himself out. It's been a long day. For all of us," Jethro answered.

"Yeah, it has," Shannon answered.

They'd been in bed for all of an hour or two when they were woken up by screaming.

"I've got it," Jethro said, rushing out of bed and into Tony's room. Tony was sitting up, screaming, his eyes wild, chest heaving.

"Hey, hey, I got you," Jethro said, wrapping his arms around the trembling boy. Tony thrashed incoherently for a second before relaxing into Jethro's hold and bursting into tears.

"Bad dream?" Jethro whispered, stroking Tony's hair back from his sweaty forehead. "Awe, bud, you're okay." He felt a distinct wetness on his son's pajamas and realized that Tony had wet the bed.

"Hang on, we'll just change your pajamas," Jethro said quietly. Tony still sniffling quietly, already sleepy again and swaying in place, and Jethro held him upright with one hand as he wrangled a new pair of pajamas from the dresser.

"Here you go," Jethro whispered, guiding Tony's pliant limbs into the clean clothes.

"J? Is he alright?" Shannon asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Yeah, he had a bad dream and a little accident," Jethro answered. "I'm changing him right now, we can deal with the bed in the morning."

"Of course," Shannon said. "He can sleep in our bed tonight."

Jethro nodded as he finished changing Tony, then grabbed Bunny off the bed before picking the little boy up. He walked down the hallway, patting Tony's trembling back until they reached the bedroom. Shannon climbed into bed, and Jethro gently lowered Tony into her waiting arms. A second later, he snuggled into the covers too, smiling tiredly as a little hand snaked around his stomach. Jethro let the warmth and sound and smell of his little boy wash over him as he drifted off to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

The first week passed quickly. Jethro had taken his sick days to stay home and Shannon had managed to wrangle a month of maternity leave from the hospital. For the most part Tony was adjusting well, and quickly, but he was still having nightmares every night. Jethro had picked up a nightlight, but it hadn't really helped, and he or Shannon ended up sleeping in the rocking chair in Tony's room almost every night. They considered it progress when Tony finished the night out in his own bed and not curled up in a lap or in his parents' bed.

Other than that, things were going well. Shannon had picked up a few DVDs that helped children (and parents) learn sign language, and Tony was an exuberant and quick study. He had taken to signing everything he saw, refrigerator, coloring book, cloud, red, all signed with the joy and excitement that Shannon was starting to realize was characteristic of her little boy.

Watching Tony hum to himself as he colored in a Batman coloring book, Shannon felt a now familiar wave of anger wash over her as she wondered, once again, how someone could neglect such a sweet little boy. Tony looked up from his coloring book and waved at her, then went back to it, legs swinging from his chair.

Shannon grinned and waved back, then turned back to cooking. Jethro was having the team over for dinner tonight to meet Tony. Shannon was excited and Tony seemed to be too, though Shannon wasn't sure that he knew exactly what was going on. Jethro would be grilling the steaks tonight when he got back from work, and Shannon was working on a salad and baked potatoes.

She had just started cutting up onions when she felt a tugging on her sleeve. That had quickly developed into Tony's most comfortable way of getting their attention, though if he was in a bad mood, he might get it in more…explosive ways.

"What's up, buddy?" Shannon asked, signing. Tony signed back quickly.

"_I want to help_."

"_Help cook?_"

Tony nodded.

"Okay. Come here, kid." She reached down and picked him up under the arms, setting him on the counter beside her.

"You're going to rip the lettuce up," she said, demonstrating as she spoke, since she didn't know the correct signs for what she was trying to say. She held up the head of lettuce and let Tony rip a piece off, smiling when he put it carefully in the bowl.

"_Good job_!" She signed, clapping. Tony beamed and took the head of lettuce from her. She watched for a few seconds as he carefully and deliberately ripped off every leaf, his tongue poked out in concentration. Damn, he was so cute it hurt, sometimes.

"_Hey, guess who's home?"_ Shannon signed as she heard the front door open. Tony looked up excitedly and signed his special sign for Jethro. He hadn't started calling them 'Mom' or 'Dad' yet, but had taken to signing a 'J' over his heart for Jethro and an 'S' for Shannon in an unmistakable gesture of love.

"_Hang on, Tony,"_ Shannon signed, catching him before he could fling himself off the counter. She set him down on the floor, laughing as he ran to the front door.

"Hey Tony!" Jethro cried, picking him up and swinging him around. Tony giggled and kicked his feet in excitement.

"_How was your day?"_ Jethro signed. Tony started signing rapidly, telling about how he picked out his own clothes this morning and he colored in his coloring book and he broke a crayon and he was helping Shannon cook dinner and-

Jethro laughed and lifted Tony higher, nuzzling his face in the little boy's stomach. Tony laughed again and tickled Jethro, little fingers flitting over Jethro's stomach.

"Oh! Oh no!" Jethro cried, falling to the floor and rolling around as Tony laughed and continued his assault. Shannon couldn't help but smile, though Jethro and Tony usually ended up in a wrestling match at least once a day, and the roaring giggles were by now familiar.

"Jethro, I know you're having fun, but you're going to need to start the steaks soon," Shannon called, grinning when she heard Jethro give an exaggerated groan of death. Tony let out a crow of victory and came bounding into the kitchen, rapidly signing to Shannon about their epic wresting match and his eventual win.

"_Great job, buddy," _Shannon signed with a smile. "_How about you and Bunny wait for people to arrive?"_

Tony nodded eagerly and grabbed Bunny, dragging it behind him as he ran to the front room and pressed his face up against the window. Jethro grinned as he walked into the kitchen.

"Sneaky," he said, coming up behind her and kissing her neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Hey, he's excited about it," Shannon said, finishing the onions and putting them into the bowl. "He helped me cook."

"Yeah, he said," Jethro answered. "What did you have him do?"

"Oh, I just had him rip up the lettuce for me," Shannon answered, holding out the bowl. "He did really well."

"Yeah, looks like. How was he today?"

"He was good. He asked about Maria once," Shannon said quietly.

"What did you say?"

"I told him that Maria had to go away and that she wouldn't be coming back. I tried to explain that she still loved him, but I'm not sure that Tony really got it."

Jethro sighed as he got the steak out of the fridge.

"Well, we knew he was going to start asking questions sooner or later. I think that you handled it well, Shan."

"Thanks. I don't know what I'm going to do when he starts asking about his father."

"We'll figure it out," Jethro said, grinning at her. "If anyone can handle it, you can."

"Thanks, J," Shannon said. "I hope so."

Just then, Tony came running into the kitchen, Bunny trailing behind him.

"_Someone's here! Someone's here!" _

Jethro smiled at his excitement, then nodded towards the door when he heard the doorbell ring. "_Go answer it,"_ he said. Tony galloped toward the door, flinging it inward and waving exuberantly at whoever was outside.

"Hey Boss," McGee called as he walked in. "Hi Mrs. Gibbs." Squatting down to Tony's level, McGee carefully signed_ "Hi, Tony. My name is Tim." _

Tony grinned broadly, spelling out TIM before pointing to his rabbit and spelling BUNNY out.

"Whoa, you go pretty fast there, kid," Tim said with a laugh, managing to spell out the BU before floundering. Tony giggled and again spelled it, slower this time. Tim repeated it and Tony smiled, clapping for him.

"I think your son thinks I'm dumb," McGee commented with a laugh, looking towards Jethro and Shannon in the kitchen.

"Nah, he just knows you're a bit slow, McGee," Jethro commented with a grin, laughing when Shannon whacked him with a towel.

"He doesn't think you're dumb, Tim. He's quite patient when it comes to teaching others ASL. He does the same thing when he's teaching me."

McGee grinned and high-fived Tony. "Thanks, Mrs. Gibbs."

"Timothy McGee," Shannon said, hands on her hips and glaring sternly at Tim. Tony giggled when he saw her stance and shot Tim a look that seemed to say 'you're in for it now.' "How many times have I told you to call me Shannon?"

McGee laughed nervously. "Uh, too many, apparently."

"Damn right. My name is Shannon, and I would like it if you would use it," Shannon said with a smile.

"Okay, sorry Shannon."

McGee turned back to Tony, who didn't seem to have any reservations, signing to him animatedly and jumping around. Once, he thrust Bunny at him in a clearly demanding way, though Tim didn't know what he was supposed to do.

"He wants you to kiss Bunny, McGee," Jethro said from the kitchen. "He got an owie."

Tim raised his eyebrows, looking at his boss in surprise.

"What? The bunny needs a kiss," Jethro said. McGee shook his head, then kissed Bunny's paw. Tony smiled and laughed, then resumed his hyper bouncing.

The doorbell rang again, and McGee stood up. Tony watched him closely, then realized what he was doing and hurried to the door in front of him. He threw the door open and stood there for a second, staring open mouthed at Abby.

"Hey Abby," Tim said, smiling at the little boy's reaction. Abby crouched down and got eye-level with Tony, who shrunk back uncertainly.

"Hi Tim," Abby said, then signed to Tony. Tony smiled shyly and followed the same routine he had with Tim, spelling Abby's name and then slowly spelling out Bunny. Abby quickly spelled Bunny's name, then signed that she thought he was a very nice bunny.

Tony's eyes widened and he started signing quickly, giggling with delight when Abby signed back. Tim watched them with a smile on his face, then walked into the kitchen.

"Do you need any help in here? I'm feeling a bit left out in there," McGee said with a grin.

"If you want to set the table, the plates are in the cupboard above your head," Shannon answered. Tim nodded and started setting the table, and it wasn't long before Abby and Tony started helping him, Tony carefully carrying one glass at a time to the table. By the time Ducky, Kate, and Ziva had arrived, Tony and Abby were good friends and Tony had adopted Tim into his circle too, going so far as to allow him to hold Bunny.

Dinner went well. Shannon was surprised and touched to realize that everyone on Jethro's team had learned at least a little bit of sign language. They could all spell Tony's name and their own, and they knew 'please' and 'thank you.' Tony seemed to appreciate it too, though he talked mostly to Abby or his parents and let them do the interpreting for him. He was sitting happily in his booster seat, legs swinging, taking everything in eagerly. Kate, on one side of him, cut his steak up for him, and Ziva on the other side made sure he had enough of everything. Shannon wasn't the least bit surprised to realize that Tony was already charming the ladies.

After dinner, Jimmy and Ziva did the dishes while everyone else went into the den to talk. At first, Tony and Abby played quietly in the corner, but as the evening progressed, it was clear that Tony was getting worn out. Shannon smiled and crouched down in front of the little boy, tapping him gently on the shoulder.

"Time for bed," she said, signing as she spoke. "Come on, Tony."

"_I don't want to,"_ Tony signed back petulantly. "_Friends."_

"I know they're your friends, kiddo. How about we just go get your pajamas on, okay?" Tony crossed his arms and glared at her for a second before smiling and nodding. Shannon took his hand and led him up the stairs, pausing when he stumbled slightly.

"Oh my gosh, he is so cute!" Abby squealed as soon as they were out of the room.

"He's a doll," Kate said.

"Yes, he's a smartheart," Ziva added.

"Sweetheart, Ziva," Tim corrected with a grin, looking to Gibbs. "He is cute, Boss."

"Thank guys," Jethro said. "He's a good kid."

It wasn't long before Shannon came down the stairs again, carrying Tony's quilt in one hand and holding Tony's hand in the other. Tony was dressed in small footie pajamas that had dinosaurs on them, and he was dragging Bunny behind him. He smiled tiredly when he walked into the room and clutched Bunny to him.

Shannon picked him up when they got into the room and settled him on Jethro's lap, covering him with the blanket and tucking Bunny in next to him. Jethro wrapped his arms around the boy and kissed him on the head, reveling in the smell of Tony's soft hair. Ziva, Kate, and Abby all let out simultaneous 'awwws' that left Jethro glaring at them and everyone else smirking. Tony sleepily watched them talk, smiling softly and tucking his thumb into his mouth. Jethro eased it back out, then smiled when Tony stubbornly popped it back in.

Tony reached up and patted Jethro's cheek and then signed something that only he could see. At Jethro's nod, he slid off of Jethro's lap and, dragging Bunny and the quilt behind him, toddled sleepily over to Ducky, then held his hands up expectantly.

"Oh, my," Ducky said in surprise, then reached down and pulled Tony into his lap. Tony quickly settled in, and was soon snoring softly on Ducky's chest, leaving a little patch of drool.

"Well. It has been a long while since I've held a child," Ducky said quietly, tucking his arms around the small form in his lap. "It's quite pleasant, isn't it?"

"Somehow, it's the most relaxing thing in the world," Shannon agreed.

Long after everyone went home, after Tony had had his nightmare and fallen back asleep, Shannon stayed awake, unable to keep herself from crying lightly at the overwhelming happiness she was feeling.

"You okay?" Jethro asked sleepily, propping himself up on an elbow.

"I'm just- I'm just happy," Shannon said. "I know that sounds silly, but it's a little bit overwhelming."

"It's not silly, Shan," Jethro said, moving in closer and tucking his head onto Shannon's shoulder. "I feel the same way."

If Shannon felt a little bit of dampness on her collarbone or thought she heard Jethro sniffle, she didn't mention it.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Wow, thanks for the fantastic response! Just to clear a few things up: I don't have a medical degree, nor do I have any intimate experience working with hearing impaired people. I have done research on the subject, but I've also chosen to take a few liberties with how Tony reacts to being deaf- his quick acceptance of ASL and that he doesn't use his voice, especially. Thank you to those reviewers who pointed out that I have 'plot holes' in those areas, but they were, on some level at least, intentional. After all, this is fiction, right? Anyway, thanks for the reviews and for taking the time to teach me about deafness and how it's dealt with. I really appreciate it.

xxxx

Shannon was a bit anxious about taking Tony to the doctor's office. She knew that he was doing okay, physically, but she was concerned that there were some hidden, lingering side effects from his bout of rheumatic fever, and the thought of anything happening to her little boy sent shivers of dread down her spine.

Tony didn't seem all too keen on the idea either. He had made his displeasure known pretty clearly and had been sulking all day, arms crossed and lower lip poking out in displeasure. He'd even thrown a plastic dinosaur across the room at Shannon and had spent ten minutes in timeout as a result.

Now, as the time to leave drew near, Tony was being as uncooperative as Shannon had ever seen him. She would Velcro one little shoe on, only to find that he'd kicked off the other one, and he'd taken his coat off three times since she'd first put it on.

"_Tony_," Shannon signed, looking at Tony severely. "You're _going to the doctor one way or another, shoes or not_." Tony adopted his sulk position again, glaring up at Shannon from beneath his eyelashes.

"_Are you going to behave?"_

Tony looked at her petulantly, then shook his head.

"_Fine,_" Shannon said. She picked up Tony's shoes and tucked them into her backpack, then reached toward Tony.

"No! No!" He screamed, one of the rare times he'd used his voice since losing his hearing. He tried to take off running, but Shannon grabbed him around the waist and held him as he squirmed.

"It's okay," Shannon said, calmly stroking Tony's hair in an effort to get him to relax. Tony just wriggled more, breathing so quickly she was worried he was going to hyperventilate. She started signing 'ok' on his hand, holding his stiff body tightly to her and praying silently for him to relax. Finally, Tony broke down in sobs, turning so that he was facing Shannon and nuzzling his face into her shoulder.

"Oh, baby," Shannon whispered, petting Tony's back and kissing his head. "It's okay, sweetie, it's okay."

Tony slowly started to calm down, breath hitching slightly with little hiccups.

"_It's just the doctor, buddy," _Shannon signed. _"It's okay."_

Tony's lower lip started trembling again. "_I don't want to."_

"_Why?" _ Shannon asked, hoping Tony would be able to explain. At first, Tony just shrugged, but then he turned wide, tear-filled eyes to her.

"_They hurt my mom,"_ Tony signed with trembling hands. Shannon felt her heart sink. She had never heard how Tony's mother died, but apparently it had left a lasting impression on the little boy.

"_You're going to be okay. I'm going with you." _

Tony nodded, clearly trying to stay calm, and offered Shannon a wobbly smile. Shannon leaned forward so that they were touching forehead to forehead and nose to nose, and wrapped her arms around him. For a moment, they both just breathed, taking in each other's presence.

Shannon finally pulled herself away, but didn't take her eyes off of Tony's.

"_You okay?"_

Tony nodded shyly. "_Sorry." _

"_It's okay,"_ Shannon answered. "_Let's get your shoes on."_

xxxx

Considering what she'd learned about Tony's fear of doctors, she would have been surprised if he hadn't been nervous in the waiting room, but having Tony on her lap, Bunny clutched tightly to his chest in a white-knuckled grip, shaking, was enough to unnerve her too. She held his hand, thumbing over the back of it, trying to make Tony as comfortable as possible.

"Tony DiNozzo?" A nurse called, coming out into the waiting room. She was wearing bright scrubs and smiled widely when Shannon stood up, Tony clinging to her.

"Hi, my name is Kristy," the nurse said. "Is this Tony?"

"Yep, this is my little guy," Shannon said, turning so that Tony's face was toward Kristy. Tony turned away, burying his face in Shannon's shoulder. "He's a little bit shy, and he's pretty scared of doctors."

Kristy's face turned serious. "Okay. I'll let Dr. Rhodes know. His chart says he's hearing impaired?"

"That's right," Shannon answered.

"Okay. Do you know ASL?"

"I'm still learning," Shannon said with a smile, patting Tony's back.

"Good. Well, we need to get Tony's weight and height."

"Okay," Shannon said, gently setting Tony on the floor. She signed to him what they were going to do, then gently helped him out of his shoes and took Bunny from him. Tony was trembling nervously, hands clenched in Shannon's shirt as she helped him step onto the scale.

"_You have to let go for a minute, baby," _Shannon signed. Tony shook his head, lip trembling. "_Just a minute. It's okay, buddy." _

Tony nodded and let go, standing stiffly.

"I'll make it quick," the nurse said, and Shannon nodded gratefully.

"Okay, got it," the nurse said in a minute. Shannon crouched down and held gathered Tony into her arms, kissing him and giving Bunny back to him.

"And his height," the nurse said, motioning toward the wall. Again, Shannon explained what was going to happen, and this time Tony could hold Bunny while being measured.

"_Good job," _Shannon signed as soon as Tony was finished. Tony offered her a small smile and clung to her pant leg, padding along next to her as they walked toward the exam room.

"Okay, I'm just going to take Tony's temperature and blood pressure and then you can settle a bit before the doctor comes in."

"Great," Shannon said, sitting in a chair next to the table. Tony scrambled onto her lap, staring with wide, distrustful eyes at the nurse.

Shannon kept a constant hand on his leg and the other wrapped around his waist, kissing him gently on the head as Kristy came up with the thermometer. Kristy took his temperature quickly, noting it on her clipboard before turning to Shannon.

"Will he be okay with the blood pressure cuff?" She asked. Shannon frowned, then stood, picking Tony up with her. She settled him on the exam table and crouched in front of him, explaining as best she could what would be happening. At Tony's nod, she turned to Kristy.

"Go ahead. I'm going to hold his hand while you do it."

"Great. Here we go, buddy," Kristy said despite knowing that Tony couldn't hear her. She slipped the cuff over Tony's thin arm and squeezed the bulb to tighten it. Tony's eyes widened and he started to squirm uncomfortably as it tightened, but Shannon squeezed his hand reassuringly, making sure that Tony kept eye contact with her.

"All done," Kristy said, making another notation on her chart. "Dr. Rhodes will be in shortly."

"_Home?_" Tony signed.

"_Not yet, buddy," _Shannon signed back. Tony sighed, kicking his legs against the exam table. _"You did a good job. You were brave." _

Tony managed a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. Shannon held her arms out and laughed when Tony flung himself at her. She wrapped him up in a hug and played with him and Bunny, feeling him relax as they played. When the doctor came in, though, Tony tightened up again. Shannon could feel his muscles clenching under her hand, and she started massaging his shoulders and thighs, gently easing the anxiety out.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Rhodes."

"Shannon Gibbs, and this is Tony," Shannon said, trying to get Tony to wave. Tony stubbornly refused.

"Okay, Kristy said that he has some anxiety about doctors?"

"Uh, yeah. Definitely."

"Okay. Can you sit him on the table while I examine him? You're welcome to sit next to him and hold his hand."

"Yeah, we can do that. Come on, buddy," Shannon said, standing up and sliding Tony onto the floor. She helped him onto the table again, trying to soothe him by sitting down next to him and keeping one hand firmly on his leg. He clutched at her arm with one hand, Bunny tucked under the other.

"Okay, let's listen to his heart," Rhodes said. "Can you take the rabbit away?"

Shannon eased Bunny from Tony's arms and smiled at him encouragingly as Rhodes warmed up his stethoscope, rubbing it against his coat.

"Ready?" He asked. Shannon looked to Tony and repeated the question, smiling when he nodded resolutely.

"Okay, bud, here we go," Rhodes said, leaning in over Tony's form and placing the bell of the stethoscope over the little boy's heart. He listened for a moment, shifting positions, then moved to Tony's back, again listening. Tony's hand was trembling lightly in Shannon's hand, and she squeezed it comfortingly, relieved when Tony seemed to relax. Still, she found herself taking relaxing breaths, staving off the anger that welled up at the knowledge that someone- his _father_- had hurt Tony enough to make him so nervous.

"Okay, can you have him take a deep breath?"

Shannon nodded and signed it as best as she could to Tony, uncertain if he would understand. When he shook his head in confusion, Shannon demonstrated by taking a deep breath, exaggerating the movement. Tony frowned, then copied her motion.

"Good, that's good," Rhodes said, so Shannon nodded and gave Tony the symbol for OK. Tony smiled a bit, sending a jolt of relief up Shannon's spine. It was the first smile he'd offered since getting to the doctor's office.

"Again?" Rhodes murmured. Shannon signed it to Tony, who nodded and took an exaggerated breath. Shannon feigned surprise at how big the little boy's chest got, grinning when Tony giggled. Rhodes smiled.

"He's a cute little guy," Rhodes commented, glancing over the chart. He pulled a small light out of his pocket and looked into Tony's ears, left then right. Tony tensed up a bit, but otherwise didn't react. "Okay, I'm just going to check his throat and reflexes and then we can talk."

"Great," Shannon said. She held Tony's hand through the throat check and laughed when the reflex check made him giggle each time his leg kicked out. By the time Rhodes smiled at Tony and declared that they were done, Tony loved him.

"Okay, Mrs. Gibbs," Rhodes started as Shannon got Tony settled onto her lap. The ordeal had tired Tony out significantly, so she tucked him close to her and thumbed his forehead as the doctor spoke, hoping that he would allow himself to fall asleep.

"Please, call me Shannon."

Rhodes smiled. "Okay, Shannon, Tony's looking remarkably good, considering," Rhodes said. Shannon sighed in relief. "Still, he's a little bit underweight for his age. Has he been eating well?"

"Yeah, he's been doing really well. He's not too picky, either."

Rhodes nodded. "Great. Then I wouldn't worry about it, just make sure that he keeps it up. And I know that you were probably anticipating this, but Tony does have a pretty distinct heart murmur."

Shannon nodded, trying to keep the tears that welled suddenly from dropping. They had been expecting it, but she had hoped that somehow Tony would have healed miraculously, that everything would be fine.

"Now, it's not dangerous right now, though it could become that way in the future. As a nurse, I'm sure you're well aware of the warning signs to look out for, but I'm going to go ahead and send a pamphlet home with you so that you can look over it. Call me if you have any questions about it, and even if you think you might be overreacting, if you see something that you think is wrong, take action. Sometimes a parent's gut instinct is the best indicator we have early on in a crisis situation."

Shannon nodded. "Of course. Thank you so much, Dr. Rhodes."

"Not a problem. I would also suggest getting Tony to a pediatric ear nose and throat doctor. Based on his charts, I doubt that he'll get full hearing back, but a hearing aid may prove to be beneficial."

"Really? Okay, we can do that," Shannon murmured. Tony had finally fallen asleep, and she could feel the spot of drool growing already on her shoulder. She smiled at the thought of Tony getting some hearing back and soothed the hair away from his forehead. He shifted slightly and let out a contented sigh before falling still again.

"That's quite a little guy you've got there," Rhodes commented with a gentle smile.

"Oh, definitely," Shannon answered. "He surprises me every day."

"Well, here's a sticker you can give him when he wakes up. Be sure to check in with the receptionist at the front desk to set up Tony's next appointment."

"Will do. Thanks again," Shannon said, standing up with Tony in her arms. She set up the appointment before going to the car and maneuvering Tony into his booster seat. Tony didn't even stir, so Shannon tried to seat him comfortably before climbing into the front seat. She glanced back at him in the rear view mirror at the next stop light, smiling when she saw that he'd fallen forward in what had to be the most uncomfortable position ever, arms dangling in front of him and head resting on the lap bar part of the booster seat.

Somehow, she was constantly surprised by just how absolutely this little boy had managed to steal her heart.

xxxx

Jethro came home with pizza and a box tucked under his arm.

"Hey Shan, how was the doctor?" He asked as soon as he walked in. Shannon smiled, looking up from where she and Tony were busily playing with Playdough.

"It was good, mostly," Shannon said as Jethro settled into the chair across from her. She gently directed Tony to start cleaning up, then started putting the brightly colored dough into the right containers.

"He's a little underweight, so the doctor said just make sure he's eating well."

"I don't think that will be much of a problem," Jethro commented with a smile, leaning over to help with the clean up. Tony looked up and grinned at him, holding out a piece of blue dough. Jethro signed _thank you _ and put the dough in the right container.

"He also said Tony has a heart murmur."

Jethro paused in his actions, an unfamiliar jolt of fear racing up his spine.

"How bad is it?"

"He said it isn't too bad right now, but we'll need to be vigilant in making sure that nothing worse happens."

"Of course," Jethro said, resuming cleaning. "We knew that."

"I know," Shannon said. "I was hoping, though…"

"Hey. We'll be okay."

"I know. Oh, and he said Tony might benefit from a hearing aid."

Jethro's eyebrows shot up.

"Like, he would be fully hearing again?"

Shannon shook her head. "Probably not. But he might be able to hear some louder noises. In all likelihood, he would still communicate primarily through signing."

"Okay. Well, that's good news!" Jethro said, picking Tony up and hauling him to the sink to wash his hands. Tony giggled and smeared his soapy hands all over Jethro's arms, roaring in laughter when Jethro playfully nuzzled his back.

"How 'bout some pizza, big guy?" Jethro asked, settling Tony in his booster seat. Tony looked at the pizza that Shannon placed in front of him quizzically, one eyebrow raised in a comical reflection of Jethro.

"Eat it, kiddo," Jethro said, signing at Tony. Tony finally took a bite. His eyes widened, and he smiled broadly, trying to shove most of the piece in his mouth.

"Whoa there, hold up," Shannon laughed, catching Tony by the arm. Tony smiled sheepishly and took a smaller bite, grinning as he chewed.

"Yeah, I think we're covered on the eating front," Shannon commented as Tony eagerly held his hands out for a second slice.

"I think so. Oh, and I think I might have figured out a way to help with the nightmares, maybe."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I was thinking, maybe he's scared because when he closes his eyes- well, with It being so quiet, it might seem like everything just stops, you know?"

Shannon nodded slowly. "I think I see what you're saying," she said. "But how do you propose to fix it?"

Jethro held up the box he'd brought home. It was a small personal fan.

"Maybe he won't feel so lonely or cut off if he can feel something."

Shannon smiled, laughing softly.

"You're a genius, J," she said. Jethro shrugged.

"I just don't want the kid to be scared," he said.

Shannon opened her mouth, probably to say something mushy and sentimental, when Tony pounded his fork on the table, grinning widely and clearly demanding another piece of pizza.

Jethro laughed and handed it to him.

xxxx

That night, for the first night in nearly a week and a half, Tony slept through the night.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Okay, so I don't really know much about hearing aids and how they work. I do know a kid who has a hearing aid but still relies on sign language to communicate. Also, I'm not sure how much I like this chapter…It's kind of a bit of filler. Next chapter should be more interesting, with Thanksgiving and meeting Jackson for the first time. And thanks again for reading and especially those who reviewed! You guys are awesome!

xxxx

Tony turned away uncomfortably, a frown on his face and a sound of distress bubbling up from his throat. The doctor put a hand on Tony's shoulder in an effort to make the little boy more relaxed, but Tony shied away from that too.

"_Tony,_" Shannon signed gently. "_He's helping you." _

Tony shook his head and scooted further from her, and Shannon let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking at Dr. Hendricks. "He hates it when people touch his ears."

"Do you feel comfortable holding him down?" Hendricks asked.

Shannon looked at Tony, crouched uncomfortably in the corner of the bed. It was a clear indication of just how out of his element Tony was feeling if he was unwilling to let her comfort him.

"No. I don't think we're ready for that yet," she answered. "I'll try to talk to him again."

"_Tony," _Shannon signed, crouching down in front of him. She was disheartened to realize that Tony had tears running down his cheeks, his lower lip trembling. "_Oh, baby. Come here."_

She gathered him into her arms and rocked him side to side for a moment, waiting until she felt him relas. Then she set him back down on the table and looked him in the eye.

"_He's going to help you with your ears. Please, let him," _she signed, still looking intently at her little boy. Tony shrugged noncommittally, then nodded.

"Thank you," Shannon said, signing as she spoke, then turned to Hendricks.

"Nice job, Mrs. Gibbs. I'll make it as quick as I can."

xxxx

A week and a half later, Tony was fitted for his hearing aid. Hendricks had explained that while the hearing aid would help Tony hear loud things such as sirens and cars, he would still be basically completely deaf while communicating with other people, and he would continue relying on sign language. Shannon and Jethro were both elated and saddened; they were relieved that Tony would have any hearing, but disappointed that he would never be able to have normal conversations.

Jethro had explained the situation as best as he could to Tony, but he wasn't really sure how well the little boy understood. He had seemed indifferent about the whole process, as if he was only putting up with it because Shannon asked him to. Which, when Jethro thought about it, wasn't actually all that unlikely.

Still, when Hendricks turned on the hearing aid for the first time and they took Tony outside to stand on the balcony overlooking a busy street, his eyes widened as he heard the sound of the cars rushing past, of the sirens wailing as they roared away.

"I hear!" He yelled, more loudly than he probably realized. Shannon smiled, tears in her eyes, as Jethro crouched next to their boy, one arm wrapped around his skinny waist, watching Tony's jubilant reaction.

It was when they took Tony home that it all came crashing down. Tony was talking animatedly, something that Shannon had never seen him do before, and she and Jethro were listening to his chatter with smiles on their faces.

They almost missed when Tony asked them a question.

"_What was that?_" Shannon signed. Tony frowned.

"Talk to me!" He said loudly. Shannon felt a spike of fear and sadness run up her spine. Jethro was having the same feeling, judging by his expression.

"Baby," Shannon said softly. "Baby, it's not all fixed. You still need sign, sweetheart."

Tony frowned, a look of confusion crossing his face.

"What?" He demanded. "I can't hear you."

Shannon repeated what she said, signing it out carefully. Tony shook his head.

"But I heard! I heard the cars! You said the doctor would help!"

"_I know, sweetie. He helped. He just couldn't fix it all."_

"No!" Tony screamed, throwing himself back against the seat. It was the first time he'd thrown a tantrum, and Shannon wasn't quite sure how to respond, especially since he had every right to be misbehaving, considering.

"_Tony, I'm sorry, sweetheart. You're okay, though. You know your signs." _

Tony didn't answer. He stopped throwing himself backwards and just sat listlessly, staring out the window.

"_Tony?" _

The little boy didn't even glance her way. Jethro looked at him worriedly in the rearview mirror, before glancing at his wife.

"Pull over for a minute, Jethro. I need to sit with him."

Jethro nodded and pulled over, watching as Shannon climbed into the backseat, wrapping an arm around Tony's shoulders. Tony didn't react to her touch but continued staring out the window.

When they got home, Jethro opened the door to the backseat and helped Tony out of the booster, grabbing Tony's hand in his. Tony followed slowly, feet dragging and head hanging. He walked into the living room and collapsed onto the couch as soon as they got in the house, sitting listlessly.

"You know Shannon, I'm going to call into work. I can stay home-"

"No," Shannon said firmly. "I think he needs to get his head around it, and it might take a bit of time. I'll stay with him, and then when you get off work you can talk to him."

"Okay," Jethro said, nodding slowly. "If you think that's best."

"I do," Shannon said. "I think he'll be okay."

Jethro gathered her in his arms, pressing a kiss to her head.

"Of course he will. See you later, Shan. Take care, okay?"

Shannon nodded, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Of course. See you soon."

The rest of the afternoon progressed slowly. Tony wasn't interested in reading, or coloring, or playing with his toys, and seemed to have sunk into a depression that frightened Shannon. He refused to converse with her, and had spent most of the day lying on the couch or on his bed, Bunny clutched to his chest.

About an hour before Jethro got home, Shannon told Tony that she was going to be making dinner, hoping that the little boy would show some interest, but he just rolled over so that he was facing away from her. Shannon got up slowly, trying to keep herself from crying, and went down to the kitchen. She sniffled as she chopped up the vegetables for chicken noodle soup, Tony's favorite soup, and eventually she had to stop for a moment to gather her emotions.

She had finally gotten control of herself and was once again getting to work when she heard something that sounded a lot like screaming.

"Tony!" Shannon yelled, bolting up the stairs. She flung the door to his room open and was startled to see Tony punching the wall repeatedly, screaming as loudly as he could.

"Tony! Stop!" Shannon cried, pulling him away from the wall. He squirmed in her embrace, still yelling, but she drew him close to her and tucked his head against her chest. He gradually started to relax, then started to sniffle.

"Oh, baby," Shannon whispered, pulling his clenched fist up so she could see it. His knuckles were split and bloody.

"_What were you doing, sweetie?"_ Shannon signed, hoping Tony would be responsive. To her surprise, Tony burst into tears.

"I just wanted to hear!" He cried, wrapping his arms around her neck. "I thought I would hear."

Shannon felt her own tears falling. Her little boy had hurt himself because he was confused and frustrated, and there wasn't anything she could do about it.

She held him close, spelling out OK on his hand, feeling the trembling shudders run through his body. When he'd finally calmed down, she took him down to the kitchen and cleaned and bandaged his knuckles, kissing the back of his hand as she worked. Tony put his hand on her cheek, big blue-green eyes locking with hers.

"_I'm sorry,"_ he signed carefully, eyes downcast as soon as he was sure she'd heard.

"_Hey," _Shannon signed, tilting his chin up. "_It's okay. I love you, baby."_

Tony's eyes widened and he smiled.

"_I love you too." _

Shannon didn't bother trying not to cry.

"_Hey kiddo. Do you want to help me cook dinner?" _

xxxx

"I think we need to look into a preschool for hearing impaired children," Shannon said, cuddled up against Jethro's chest.

"Sounds like it might be a good idea," Jethro agreed. "Shannon, I'm sorry I wasn't here to help today-"

"Don't worry about it," Shannon answered. "It turned out okay, and while it scared the hell out of me at first, I think he just needed to get it out. He's okay now."

"Yeah. I'm proud of you though, Shan."

Shannon was about to reply when a loud sob pierced the silence of the room.

"Damn it," Jethro muttered. "Poor little guy. I'll get him."

"Okay," Shannon answered, concerned that Tony's nightmares were starting up again.

Tony was sitting up in bed when Jethro got to his room. Jethro wrapped his arms around Tony, surprised at how sweaty Tony's pajamas were.

"Aw, kiddo," he whispered, feeling the shivers running up and down Tony's spine. He waited until Tony seemed calmer, then noticed that he was still shivering. He turned to get some dry pajamas for him, when Tony cried out.

"Daddy!"

Jethro sighed. Tony only ever called for his father in the aftermath of his nightmares, before he'd really figured out where he was. Jethro hated trying to explain where DiNozzo Sr. was to Tony, hated having to tell the boy again and again that his dad wasn't coming home.

"_Tony," _he signed, turning around. He was surprised to see Tony with his arms out, crying.

"Daddy!"

Jethro felt tears well. Tony was calling for him. Tony was calling him Dad.

"I'm right here, buddy," Jethro whispered, gathering Tony into his arms.

"Stay," Tony whispered.

"Okay," Jethro answered, settling into the rocking chair, Tony cuddled onto his lap.

_This is going to hurt like hell in the morning,_ Jethro thought, shifting slightly as he tried to get comfortable. Then again, that didn't seem to matter too much.

xxxx

Tony was nervous, toes wriggling in his new shoes, tugging at the collar of his shirt.

"_Do I have to go_?" He signed, looking anxiously between Shannon and Jethro.

"_Yeah, kiddo. We've talked about this_," Jethro signed. "_Besides, you're going to do great."_

Tony looked at him uncertainly. "_Are you sure?"_

Jethro knelt in front of Tony and put his hands on the thin shoulders, looking intently into his eyes.

"_I know that you will be awesome,_" he signed, slowly and deliberately. "_Have I ever lied to you?" _

Tony shook his head with a small smile. _"Okay," _he answered, nodding resolutely. "_Let's go."_

"_Good boy_," Jethro signed then held his hand out. Tony took it anxiously, slipping his other hand into Shannon's.

They walked into the building together, hand in hand.

"Hi!" A woman said happily when they first walked in. "I'm Amy."

She crouched down in front of Tony, who looked at her shyly from behind Jethro's pant leg.

"_Hi. I'm Amy," _she signed. _"What's your name?_"

Tony came out in front of Jethro's legs, signing his name with a small smile.

"_Do you want to come with me to meet the other children?" _

Tony hesitated for a minute, hand fisted in Jethro's pants, before nodding. Amy held her hand out and Tony took it. They walked toward the other children in the room.

"Hey, hey, you okay?" Jethro asked, hearing a small muffled sob from Shannon.

"Oh, I'm fine," Shannon answered, laughing as she wiped tears away from her eyes. "He's just growing up so fast."

Jethro chuckled softly. "That he is."

"Hi, you must be Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs," another woman said, walking up to them.

"Yeah. I'm Jethro, and this is my wife Shannon."

"Pleasure. My name is Laurie. Now as for your son, he's going to be here full time, is that right?"

"No. He'll be here full time on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and just for the morning on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays."

"Okay. That will work out great. As you can see, all of our teachers are fluent in both English and ASL, and about two-thirds of the children are hearing impaired. We'll work on teaching more ASL, and on reading."

"That's fantastic," Shannon said, smiling at Jethro. "We think that this will be great for Tony."

"Great. Now I have some paperwork for you to fill out, and you'll need to write down his medical history and all of that."

Jethro and Shannon quietly filled out the necessary paperwork, Shannon practically bouncing with excitement.

"J, I think this is going to be great for him," Shannon repeated, grinning broadly.

"I think so too, Shan," Jethro answered with a smile. "He's already got some friends."

Shannon looked up, surprised to see Tony playing with another little boy. They were signing rapidly at each other, giggling and laughing.

"Oh, cute!" Shannon cried. "This is so awesome."

"I know. Hey, how about we say goodbye, see how he handles it? If he's okay, we could go get some lunch and then come back and pick him up."

Shannon nodded, and they made their way over to Tony.

"_Hey bud, we're going to go get some lunch and then come back and pick you up. Is that okay?" _

Tony looked panicked for a split second, before the boy next to him held up a ball and smiled.

"_Okay," _he signed, running up to Jethro and Shannon and hugging them both. _"See you later, Mom and Dad." _

Then he giggled and ran away with his friend, leaving Shannon staring open-mouthed after him.

"He just- he called me-"

"Yeah. He called me Daddy last night," Jethro whispered, wrapping his arms around Shannon's waist.

"What? And you didn't tell me?" Shannon cried, smacking him lightly on the arm. "You jerk!"

Jethro laughed. "I wanted you to be surprised," he said. "Now let's go get some lunch, huh?"

xxxx

Three weeks later, things were going well. Tony loved preschool and was learning signs faster than Shannon could keep up, and he was starting to draw letters on everything. He'd taken to calling Jethro and Shannon 'mom' and 'dad' all the time now, and had a best friend, Kenny, at school. He hadn't had any more nightmares, and seemed less concerned that Shannon and Jethro were going to mistreat him, revealing a slightly mischievous side that Shannon hadn't expected.

Yes, things were going well.

"Shannon?" Jethro said softly. Shannon was already nearly asleep, but she mumbled an acknowledgement.

"I think we should adopt Tony. Officially."

Shannon rolled over, forcing her eyes open.

"You think he's ready?" She asked quietly. "Do you think he'll understand?"

Jethro nodded. "I think so. He's started calling us Mom and Dad. He did that on his own, Shan."

"You're right. I'll talk to Jason tomorrow."

The next day, Shannon talked to Jason, who advised her to meet with an adoption counselor and Jethro talked to Abby and asked her to babysit for Tony while they figured everything out. Abby was more than willing.

A week after that, they sent in their adoption papers, and two weeks later, just before Christmas, Tony officially became part of the Gibbs family.

Jethro sat down with him and tried to explain what was happening. Tony seemed to be following what he said well, nodding before grinning broadly and flinging himself at Jethro.

"_Do you want your last name to be Gibbs?"_ Jethro signed. He hoped that Tony would be okay with that, that his son would be able to hold up the family name…

Tony shrugged. _"It's easier to sign than 'DiNozzo,'"_ he signed with a grin. Jethro shook his head and tousled Tony's hair.

"_Wise guy," _he signed, wrapping his arms around Tony's small form. Tony looked up, eyes shining.

"_Love you," _Tony signed, kissing Jethro's cheek. Jethro quickly returned the gesture, then hugged Tony tightly.

Tony, his son.

Anthony Jethro Gibbs.

His son.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! This one is a bit long-ish, but that's because it will likely be a week or so before I can update again. I'm going home for Thanksgiving! So it's totally worth it, but it also means I probably won't be writing a whole lot. Thanks again for the reviews, guys. They seriously make my day.

xxxx

The doorbell rang, and with it, the lights Jethro had set up in the main room and kitchen flashed. Tony jumped up in excitement, looking to Shannon for permission before running to the door and flinging it open. He stood in the doorway for a minute, looking at the older man who had knocked, then turned to Shannon, the question clear in his expression.

"_This is Jethro's dad, Tony. This is your grandpa." _ Tony looked at her, his expression unreadable, before he turned and ran out of the room. Shannon watched him go in surprise, her mouth open before turning back to the man and smiling.

"Jackson, hi. I'm sorry about that. Tony's still pretty shy," Shannon said, giving Jethro a hug and ushering him into the parlor. From upstairs, the sound of Tony slamming the door shut could be heard.

"That's alright," Jackson answered, sitting down gingerly. "I'm a pretty scary old man." Shannon could tell he was trying to sound nonchalant, but his eyes betrayed that his feelings had been hurt.

"Do you need anything? A drink maybe?"

"Actually, I'm pretty tired. Would you mind if I lay down for a few minutes?"

"Not at all. We have the guest room set up for you," Shannon answered, picking up Jackson's duffle bag. "It's right this way."

She led him to the guest room and made sure he was settled, then closed the door behind her. Taking a deep breath, Shannon started up the stairs, hesitating outside Tony's door. She cracked it open and looked inside; Tony was lying on his bed, his feet against the wall and his head dangling over the side. He was kicking the wall repeatedly.

"_Tony?" _Shannon signed once she knew that Tony had seen her. Tony turned away from her and continued kicking the wall.

"_Hey. What's going on?" _

Tony didn't answer, so Shannon grabbed him gently under the armpits and pulled him upright.

"_Tony. What's going on?" _

Tony shrugged and looked away, lower lip trembling.

"_Tony." _

"_Does he love Dad?" _

Shannon was taken aback.

"_What?" _

"_Does that man love Jethro?" _Tony repeated.

"_OF course he does, sweetie," _Shannon answered, taking one of Tony's hands in hers. "_He's Jethro's-" _

Father.

"_Tony, baby," _Shannon said, heart twisting at the thought of what Tony had gone through. "_He loves Jethro, and he's going to love you." _

"_How do you know?" _

"_I know your grandpa, Tony. And I know you. He is going to love you." _

Tony was quiet a moment before looking up at Shannon.

"_Okay. I want to talk to him." _

Shannon smiled and hugged Tony to her side, again amazed at her little boy's capacity for love even after everything he'd experienced in his young life.

"_Alright. Let's go downstairs." _

Tony slid off the bed and padded out of the room with Bunny in tow, Shannon close behind him.

"_He might be sleeping,_" Shannon said, nodding toward the door. _"Let me check-"_

Tony had already pushed the door open and was quietly approaching the bed where Jackson was lying down. Shannon watched as Tony stood next to the bed, just looking at Jethro's father, then reached up and placed Bunny carefully next to the sleeping man. Satisfied, he turned around to walk back out of the room, and Shannon ducked out of the way quickly. When Tony walked by, she scooped him up and swung him around, smiling at his giggles as she blew a raspberry on his tummy.

"_That was very nice,"_ Shannon said. _"Thank you." _

Tony shrugged and grinned, looking up at her from beneath long eyelashes, then yawned widely.

"_I think it's somebody's naptime," _Shannon signed. Tony promptly sat down and pouted, arms crossed and lower lip stuck out, so Shannon picked him up and carried him under one arm. Instead of going to Tony's room, however, she went to her bedroom and plopped Tony down on her bed.

"_I'm pretty tired too, buddy. Can I sleep with you?" _

Tony responded by reaching his arms out toward her, so Shannon lowered herself down onto the mattress next to him. Tony cuddled into her side and she stroked his hair, gently thumbing his forehead until his eyelids drifted shut. Her own followed not long after that.

Twenty minutes later, Shannon eased herself off the bed, careful not to disturb Tony, and went downstairs. Jackson emerged from his bedroom not long after that, Bunny in one hand and a confused expression on his face.

"Was this in the guest room before I laid down?" He asked, holding Bunny up. Shannon smiled.

"No, that's Bunny. He's Tony's favorite stuffed animal."

Jackson still looked confused. "Then why is he in the guest room?"

"Tony thought he might help you sleep better," Shannon answered. Jackson smiled as understanding dawned.

"I thought he didn't like me," he whispered.

"Oh, he likes you. It's just that he needs some encouragement sometimes, a little bit of reassurance."

Jackson nodded. "Jethro said that he's had a bit of a rough little life."

"Yeah. His father was borderline abusive and didn't show him any affection. Tony was a bit wary of you, as Jethro's father."

Jackson looked down, glaring angrily at his hands.

"Damn," he muttered. "I'm glad I've never met that man."

Shannon laughed. "That man wishes he'd never met Jethro," she said, and Jackson grinned.

"Now that I can imagine,' he said. His smile faded a second later. "Shannon, I know that Jethro and I haven't always gotten along, but I want you to know that I would never…I couldn't…He's my son."

Shannon put a hand on Jackson's knee. "Don't worry. I understand, Jackson."

"I know you do, sweetie," Jackson said, hugging her tightly. "Jethro is so lucky to have you."

Shannon pulled away, laughing. "Oh, I'm pretty sure that goes both ways," she said with a smile.

"Well, it's still true. And that little boy is lucky to have you both."

"We're lucky to have him," Shannon answered with a chuckle. "He's such an amazing kid."

Jackson fondly played with Bunny's ear. "Yeah. Yeah, he is."

Tony woke up a half hour later and came bounding eagerly down the stairs, nearly tripping over the last few.

"_Slow down, Tony,"_ Shannon signed. "_You know better." _

"_Sorry," _Tony signed with a grin. Shannon shook her head. Little scamp didn't look a bit sorry. Tony turned to Jackson with a radiant smile and quickly signed _"Hello, Grandpa." _

"He said, 'Hello, Grandpa,'" Shannon explained. Jackson smiled and slowly signed "_Hello, Tony." _

"I'm afraid that's all I know, little guy," Jackson laughed as Tony's face lit up and he started signing at him rapidly. Shannon signed what Jackson had said to Tony, who nodded in understanding.

"I noticed he has a hearing aid," Jackson commented, watching Tony play with his toy cars. The hearing aids were hard to miss, actually, a bright fiery red. "Can he hear at all?"

"He can hear loud noises, like cars or sirens, but he doesn't have enough hearing to really communicate without sign language."

"I see," Jackson said. "It seems I'll have to start learning sign language."

Shannon smiled at him. "I know Tony would love it if you did."

The doorbell rang, and Tony looked up at Shannon eagerly.

"_Is it time?" _He signed. Shannon nodded, so Tony ran to the door and threw it open.

"_Dad!" _He signed happily, latching himself to Jethro's leg.

"Whoa, hey buddy," Jethro said with a smile, taking exaggerated steps and listening to Tony giggle as he was dragged across the floor.

"Hey Dad," Jethro said, finally making it into the parlor. Tony jumped off his leg and started signing rapidly at Jethro, who laughed. "I guess you've already met Tony and Bunny."

"Yep," Jackson answered, standing. "Good to see you, son."

"I'm glad you could make it down," Jethro answered, hugging his dad briefly. Not wanting to be left out, Tony grabbed them both around the legs and squeezed tightly. Jethro ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Are you guys hungry?" Jethro asked. "I brought pizza, it's out in the car."

"Sounds great, J," Shannon answered. "I'll go throw a salad together and set the table."

"I'll help with the table," Jackson said quickly.

"Good. Tony can help me with the pizza."

Jethro and Tony disappeared out the door, and Shannon grinned at Jackson.

"Just wait until you see this kid with pizza."

Jackson smiled back. "I look forward to it."

After dinner, Jackson laughed as Jethro hauled Tony's pizza-covered form upstairs for a bath.

"That boy can sure eat," he commented. Shannon smiled as she wiped down the table.

"Oh yeah. I can't wait to see how he handles Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow."

"That will be an adventure, I'm sure."

As it turned out, it would be a bigger adventure than Jackson realized.

By the time Tony woke up, Shannon had already started cooking the ham and was starting on the stuffing. Jethro and Jackson were wrestling with the table, trying to put in the extra section that would make it long enough to fit the people that would be coming. Tony padded into the kitchen, still half-asleep, rubbing tiredly at his eyes. His hair was sticking up everywhere.

"_Hey buddy," _Shannon said as Tony walked into the kitchen. _"Sleep good?" _

Tony shrugged.

"_Did you have a nightmare?" _Shannon asked in concern. Tony shook his head, then shrugged again.

"_Are you feeling okay?" _

"_Yeah. But I didn't sleep very good." _

"_Okay. Tell me if you don't feel well, okay?" _

Tony nodded and scrubbed at his eyes again.

"_Go get dressed, sweetie, and then you can help me cook if you want." _

Tony nodded with a smile and went upstairs, reappearing a few minutes later in a snug sweatshirt that had 'NCIS' emblazoned across the front. Shannon smiled at him.

"_Are you ready to help me?" _

Tony nodded eagerly, dragging a chair across the floor to stand next to Shannon.

"_Okay. You're going to help me measure okay?" _

"_Okay," _Tony signed, looking eagerly at the array of ingredients Shannon had on the counter. He reached for one thing, nearly knocking over three others as he leaned over. Shannon caught him by the arm, laughing.

"_Whoa there, kiddo. Slow down." _

Tony noticeably reined himself in, practically bouncing in excitement and Shannon couldn't help but smile and think that maybe she'd bitten off more than she could chew.

xxxx

When Thanksgiving dinner was finally ready and everyone had arrived (and Tony had changed his clothes), everyone gathered around the table. Besides the Gibbs family, Ziva, Kate and Abby had come, as they had no family in the area to eat with. Tony didn't seem to mind and somehow managed to end up sitting between Abby and Ziva with Kate directly across from him.

Watching as Tony talked rapidly with the women, flashing his smile at them, Jackson turned to Jethro with a wry smile.

"Your son is going to be a ladykiller," he said, motioning toward Tony.

"You're telling me," Jethro said. "The kid oozes charisma."

"We're going to have to watch him as he gets older," Shannon said with a smile. "Don't want him running off with Abby as soon as he's 18."

As if on cue, Abby and Ziva burst into giggles about something Tony had done, while Tony sat between them looking smug.

"What's going on down there?" Shannon asked playfully. Abby shook her head.

"Tony's imitating Gibbs," she gasped between laughs.

"What?" Jethro demanded, looking at his son. Tony was sitting up straight in his booster, a slight frown on his face as he ate firmly and deliberately. He chewed for a while and then take a solemn swig of juice from his sippy cup, before sitting back with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Holy cow," Shannon whispered, trying not to laugh. "He looks just like you."

"He does not!" Jethro protested, glaring at Tony. Tony looked back at him and stuck his tongue out, grinning broadly.

"Damn, you've got a live one here, Jethro," Jackson commented through his own chuckles.

"He looks just like you, J," Shannon repeated, finally bursting out laughing.

Jethro finally grinned, shaking his head.

"I know," he muttered. "He doesn't have to be so damn cute about it, though. Makes me look bad."

Shannon roared even harder.

"Jealous, honey?"

"No," Jethro said, shaking his head. "Not at all."

At Shannon's look, he laughed.

"Okay, okay. Maybe a little bit."

xxxx

Tony thoroughly enjoyed pumpkin pie, managing to smear it all over his face and arms, before starting to get sleepy a good hour before usual.

"_Come on, buddy," _Shannon said, walking into the kitchen. "_Let's get you cleaned up, and then it's time for bed." _

Surprisingly, Tony nodded without any complaint, and Shannon felt a familiar pang of concern.

"_Are you okay, sweetie?" _

Tony nodded slowly. "_Sleepy." _

"_Okay. Let's get you in bed," _Shannon said, quickly wiping down his face and arms. She carried him up the stairs, smiling wistfully as Tony's head drooped, resting on her shoulder. He was pliant and half-asleep as Shannon eased him into his pajamas, and barely managed to brush his teeth. Shannon gently took his hearing aids out, setting them on the bedside table, then tucked Bunny in next to Tony.

"_Good night, sweetie," _Shannon signed, kissing him on the head. _"Sleep well." _

"_Good night, Mom," _Tony signed back, before rolling over on his side.

Shannon smiled and switched the fan on, then tiptoed out of the room. It was only once she got outside that she realized she didn't need to tiptoe.

xxxx

After hours of games and drinks and after-dinner snacks, the house was finally quiet. Jackson was sleeping soundly in the guest room, Abby, Kate, and Ziva were all safely headed toward home, and Jethro and Shannon were both sound asleep.

Suddenly, Jethro startled awake. The door to their bedroom was wide open.

"Tony?" He called, half-asleep. "Oh, damn it," he muttered as he realized he'd been calling for his deaf son. He fumbled for the lamp on the bedside table and flicked it on, wincing at the sudden brightness.

"Jethro? What's going on?" Shannon mumbled, sitting up and squinting.

"Not sure, " Jethro answered, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Is Tony over there?"

"No," Shannon said, starting to sound worried.

"Aw, damn," Jethro said as he rounded the bed. Tony was curled up on the floor at the foot of their bed. "I think Tony had a nightmare and came in here, Shan."

Jethro bent down and shook Tony's shoulders, growing concerned when Tony didn't respond.

"Tony? Come on buddy," Jethro murmured, lifting Tony from the floor.

"J? What is it?"

Jethro recoiled as he smelled the sour stench of vomit on Tony's clothes.

"I think Tony's sick," he answered, heading toward the bathroom.

"Let me see," Shannon said, getting up and throwing a robe on. She gently felt Tony's forehead, swearing when she felt it. "He's warm."

She turned back to the small boy, patting his cheek lightly. "Come on, baby. Tony?"

Tony blinked his eyes open, staring up at Shannon with an unfocused gaze.

"What should we do? What do you need me to do?" Jethro asked.

"Give him to me," Shannon answered. "There's children's Tylenol downstairs, and a thermometer. I'll go change his pajamas if you'll go get that stuff."

"No problem," Jethro answered, gingerly handing Tony's limp form to his wife.

"Hey baby," Shannon whispered, kissing his hot forehead. "Let's get you changed." She cradled him close to her body and carried him towards his room, gasping when the smell of vomit increased when she entered his room. There was a large pool of it next to his bed.

"Oh, sweetie," Shannon murmured, getting a change of clothes for him. She was trying hard not to panic, to remind herself that she was a nurse and she dealt with this kind of illness all the time, to remember that his was probably a 24 hour bug. But knowing how fragile Tony's health was anyway, and the fact that this was her _son_- it changed things. Drastically.

"Shannon? I've got it," Jethro said, hurrying into the room. He helped dress Tony as Shannon took his temperature.

"101. Not too bad," Shannon said. "Let's get some of that Tylenol in him."

Jethro nodded, pouring out the right amount of medicine before handing it to Shannon.

"Thanks," she murmured as she took it. "Okay, buddy, here we go," Shannon said, putting the cup to Tony's lips. Tony cracked his eyes open, frowning.

"Drink it, baby," Shannon said, pressing the cup to his lips a bit more insistently. Tony opened his mouth and Shannon helped him drink, wincing in sympathy at the disgusted look on Tony's face.

"Ssh, ssh, it's okay," Shannon soothed, rubbing her hand in circles over his stomach. Tony relaxed, then abruptly grew pale.

"He's gonna hurl," Shannon said, rushing past Jethro and into the bathroom. She had barely helped Tony lean over the toilet before he started retching, his whole body shuddering.

"Jethro?" Jackson asked from the doorway. He looked surprisingly aware and very alarmed.

"It's okay, Dad. Tony just picked up a bug."

"Anything I can do to help?"

Shannon looked up from where she'd been rubbing Tony's back.

"We could use some Pedialyte," she said, looking at Jethro. "I don't know if you guys want to make a midnight trip to the store…"

"I will. Pedialyte, you said?" Jackson said.

"Yeah, if you would. Thanks, Jackson."

"Not a problem. I'll be back as quick as I can."

As soon as Jackson had gone, Jethro turned to Shannon.

"Is this bad? Do we need to call an ambulance?"

"No, J, it's okay for now," Shannon answered, kissing Tony's temple as he gasped during a slight reprieve in the vomiting. "We'll try giving him a tablespoon of liquid at a time until he can keep it down, then we'll increase how much liquids he's intaking. We don't need to worry unless his fever spikes too high or he starts getting dehydrated."

"Okay. Okay. We can do this. Okay," Jethro muttered, running his hand through his hair. "Damn, this is terrifying. I mean, parents deal with this kind of stuff all the time, right?"

If she hadn't been comforting a shuddering, vomiting four year old, Shannon would have smiled at her husband's uncharacteristic panic. As it was, it was all she could do to keep herself from similarly panicking.

"Yeah. Kids get sick, and parents help them out. This is not uncommon, J. We're doing fine."

Tony finally stopped throwing up and started bawling as Shannon gently wiped his mouth.

"Did those kids have rheumatic fever?" Jethro whispered, frightened eyes making contact with Shannon's as she tucked Tony to her chest.

"Jethro. He's okay, alright? Don't worry about that unless we need to worry about that. This is just a stomach thing. He's okay."

Jethro nodded, wiping a shaky hand across his mouth. Tony was still sobbing, twisting uncomfortably in Shannon's grasp.

"I wish I could make it go away," he whispered. Shannon smiled at him.

"I know, babe. Me too. Do you want to hold him?"

Jethro nodded and gathered Tony into his arms, gently running a thumb over his son's forehead.

"If you want to stay with him downstairs and wait for your dad, I'll clean up his room," Shannon said, kissing Jethro's forehead. "You're doing great."

"Okay. Thanks, Shan," Jethro said, carrying Tony downstairs.

Five minutes later, Jackson returned with the Pedialyte, and Shannon gave it to Tony in small increments until he was able to stomach it. Somewhere around 6 in the morning, Tony's fever went down and the exhausted boy finally fell into a sound sleep in Jethro's arms. It wasn't long before Jethro drifted off too, and Jackson was snoring softly in the easy chair. Shannon looked fondly at her boys and kissed them both on the forehead before falling asleep, her head nestled on Jethro's shoulder.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: So thanks to bad weather, I didn't get to go home as I'd planned. Which sucked. But on the plus side, I have more time to write! Also, last chapter I neglected to thank WCUGirl for helping me with info about hearing aids, especially that they make colored ones. Thanks, Jen!

xxxx

Gibbs smiled as he heard the small, padding footsteps of his son as Tony walked sleepily into the kitchen.

"_Morning, sleepyhead," _he signed, looking up from where he was cooking. "_I made pancakes and bacon for us." _

Tony looked up, confusion clear on his face.

"_Where's Mom?" _

"_She's out doing some Christmas shopping_," Jethro answered. "_Take a seat, kiddo. Breakfast is almost ready." _

"_Smells good," _Tony signed before clambering into his seat.

"_I hope so. I've been working on this for hours," _Jethro signed back as he placed a pancake on Tony's plate. Tony looked up with wide eyes.

"_Hours?" _

Jethro winked. _"Yep, since before sunrise." _

Tony smirked. "_Liar." _

"_You caught me. Syrup?" _

Tony nodded, grinning at Jethro with a broad smile. Combined with his dinosaur footie-pajamas and chaotic hair, the kid looked absolutely adorable.

Not that Jethro would ever admit to thinking that.

Tony finished eating and slid off his booster seat, carefully taking his dishes to the kitchen and standing on tiptoe to put them on the counter.

"_Go get dressed, kiddo. I'll clean up," _Jethro signed, smiling as Tony bounded up the stairs. He came down quickly, dressed in mismatched clothes and his shoes on the wrong feet. Jethro shook his head with a grin as he motioned for Tony to sit down, then knelt in front of him. Tony looked noticeably distraught as Jethro slipped his shoes off.

"_Good try, Tony. You just got them on the wrong feet. Next time, huh?" _

Tony nodded vigorously. _"Next time," _he repeated. _"I'll do better. I promise." _

Jethro forced down the feelings of anger that, once again, threatened to rise. Sometimes he forgot how insecure Tony could be, how frightened he was of doing anything wrong. It was in the little moments that reminded him of that that Jethro found himself wishing he'd done more than clock DiNozzo.

"_Hey. It's not a problem. Don't worry about it." _

Tony nodded, looking away. Jethro gently grabbed his chin, looking him in the eyes.

"_Tony. It's okay. I'm not mad. Do you understand?"_

"_Got it, Dad." _

"_Good. Now we're going to go play catch." _

Tony's eyes lit up and he grinned, bouncing up and down.

"_Catch? I've never played catch. Is it hard? Is it fun?" _

Jethro smiled at his son's rapid-fire questions. _"It's not too hard, and It's really fun. I'll show you." _

"_You'll show me?" _

"_Yep. My dad showed me how, when I was little. Now I'll show you." _

Tony looked up at him, eyes wide and hopeful.

"'_Cause you're my dad?" _

"_Yeah, buddy. Because I'm your dad." _

Ten minutes later, Jethro and Tony were both outside, Tony bundled up in a warm coat and hat. It hadn't started snowing yet, but there was a distinct chill in the air.

"_You okay?" _Jethro asked. _"Too cold?" _

Tony shook his head, eyes bright and nose and cheeks red, a huge smile on his face. Jethro smiled and gave Tony a high five.

"_Okay," _Jethro said. He held out a small baseball glove and smiled as Tony eagerly tucked it- onto his right hand. _"Nope, that goes on your left hand, buddy." _

For a minute, it looked like they might have a repeat of when Tony had put his shoes on the wrong feet, Tony's lower lip starting to tremble.

"_Remember what I said?" _ Jethro asked, raising an eyebrow at Tony.

"_It's not a problem," _Tony said. "_Got it, Dad." _

"_Good. Now, I'm going to throw you the ball, and you just try to catch it in your mitt. It might be hard, and you might not catch it at first, but you'll do great with practice. Okay?" _

"_Got it," _Tony signed. "_Let's do it." _

Jethro picked up the ball, softer than a baseball but the same size. Gently, he pitched it underhand, watching with a half-smile as Tony waved his mitt wildly in the direction of the ball, missing it by a mile.

"_Good. You were close. Try to hold your mitt like this," _Jethro said, demonstrating with his own glove. Tony carefully copied his position, tongue poked out in concentration.

"_Ready?" _Jethro signed when Tony was standing with his glove raised. Tony nodded, and Jethro softly lobbed the ball. This time, it landed with a soft _thud_ in Tony's glove.

"_Great job, buddy!" _Jethro signed, watching as Tony laughed and jumped a little in place, then started shimmying lightly, shaking his hips and bum. Jethro laughed out loud at Tony's victory dance, then copied his son's movements. Tony looked up in surprise and laughed again, then continued his dance.

"Jethro?" A tentative voice asked.

Jethro stopped his dance abruptly and looked up.

"Oh, uh, hey Jared," he said, looking at the next door neighbor. "How are you doing?" By this time, Tony had stopped dancing, looking uncertainly at Jethro.

"Good. Um, how are you?"

"I'm great," Jethro answered. "Just dancing with my son."

Catching Tony's eye, Jethro started to dance again, smiling when Tony eagerly joined him. Jared gave him a quizzical look and walked into his house. Tony and Jethro broke down into giggles as he left, their wild dance finally culminating with both of them collapsing onto the grass.

"_Hey kiddo," _Jethro signed, propping himself up on his elbows. "_What do you say we go get your mom a present?" _

"_Yes," _Tony signed eagerly, clapping his hands. "_Let's go!" _

xxxx

Twenty minutes and two cups of hot cocoa later, Jethro and Tony were in the car, on the way to the mall. Tony was sitting in the back seat, kicking his legs happily and tapping on the lap bar of his booster seat. He'd taken to doing that in the car, and Jethro could only guess it was because the vibrations helped alleviate the feeling of loneliness he felt when the driver was unable to sign back to him. Strangely, Jethro had started to find it soothing too, and kind of missed the persistent tapping when he drove to work in the mornings.

Pulling up to the mall, Jethro got out of the car and went around to the back, smiling when Tony launched himself at his dad the minute the door was open. Jethro caught him easily and swung him around before setting him on the ground.

Jethro knelt down to Tony's level and smiled at his son reassuringly.

"_Okay, you need to stay with me in there. There are going to be a lot of people, so we're going to hold hands and stay together. Right?" _

"_Right," _Tony answered seriously.

"_Okay then. Let's go, soldier." _Tony grinned and grabbed Jethro's hand tightly. At first, he shied away from the crowds of people, hands fisted in Jethro's pant leg, but he grew more relaxed as they continued and was soon waving happily at everyone they passed, including some of the sketchier looking people.

"_Hey bud," _Jethro signed when they stepped into a store. "_You need to be careful about strangers, okay? Just because they wave at you doesn't mean they're nice."_

Tony frowned. _"Okay," _he signed, but he still looked troubled. "_Are people bad?" _

Jethro sighed. This was going to take some careful footing. "_No, Tony. Not all people are bad. But there are some that are, and I want you to be safe. Whatever that takes. Do you understand?"_

Tony looked close to tears and shrugged.

"_I want you to be safe because I love you, Tony. I can't stand the thought of something bad happening to you. So we don't talk to strangers, and we look both ways when we cross the street, and we stay safe. For each other. Okay? I love you, Tony." _

Tony nodded, smiling lightly.

"_Okay, Dad. Love you too." _

They stopped in at a store selling all sorts of lotions and perfumes, and Jethro let Tony smell each one carefully.

"_Do you think she would like one of these?" _Jethro asked. Tony screwed his face up in thought before shaking his head.

"_Do you know what you want to get her?" _Jethro asked, careful to keep his growing anxiety from showing. He was beginning to think that Tony would never choose a gift, and if they couldn't find something, it would probably worry the kid pretty badly.

Tony shrugged. Jethro sighed.

"_Okay. We'll keep going." _

Three stores later, Tony found his gift. It was a small statue, a wood carving of a woman holding a little boy in her lap and reading a story to him.

"_It's beautiful," _Jethro said, smiling fondly at Tony.

Tony shrugged. "_It's Mom," _he signed.

xxxx

They had lunch in the food court. Jethro ordered Indian food, and Tony seems to like that as well almost as well as he liked the pizza. As was often the case, Jethro found himself closely watching the little boy as he ate. Tony took careful, deliberate bites, never too big. The fact that he knew how to cut his food, even when it required a knife, had at first surprised Jethro and then saddened him. From what little he knew of Tony's life with his father, it made a sick kind of sense that DiNozzo would be concerned with Tony looking good at the many dinner parties he threw.

Jethro wished he had to tell Tony not to talk with his mouth open and to chew with his mouth closed. Instead, he watched him ate and sent him encouraging smiles every time the little boy looked his way. Damn, but he was a good kid.

Shannon was home by the time they got home, and Tony giggled and clutched his purchase close to his chest as if Shannon was going to try and snatch it away from him.

"_What's that?" _Shannon signed when he walked in, a teasing smile on her face. Tony carefully shifted the package under one arm.

"_A secret," _he signed back quickly, then scurried up the stairs.

"I take it that went well?" Shannon asked with a laugh, looking up from where she had been eating lunch.

"Oh, yeah," Jethro answered. "We played catch, got some shopping done, and had a bite to eat."

"Great," Shannon said, smiling. "I got Tony some stuff, we can look at it after he goes to bed tonight."

"Awesome," Jethro said, pressing a kiss to Shannon's hair. "We have a good kid."

"I know," Shannon answered.

xxxx

A week later, the Gibbs family piled into the car and headed north. Tony had no idea where they were going and was practically bouncing with excitement, bundled up in a hat and coat and gloves. It had snowed overnight, not a lot, but enough to coat the ground, and Tony had played excitedly in it until there was practically no snow left in their yard.

Tony jumped excitedly out of the car, hopping toward Jethro and Shannon instead of walking.

"_Where are we? What are we doing?" _He signed quickly, looking from side to side and trying to figure out where they were.

"_Come on, kid. You'll see." _

Tony held Shannon's hand and walked after Jethro, They came to a small shack. A man came out, smiling broadly.

"Hey there, folks. You here to get a Christmas tree?"

"Yes sir, we are," Jethro answered. Tony was staring at the man eagerly, jumping in place.

"You're an excited little guy, huh?" The man said with a laugh. Jethro smiled.

"He is. He's deaf, so he won't really answer you," Shannon said. "He says hello, though."

"Oh. I'm sorry. Hi," the man said, waving at Tony. "Anyway, Douglas firs are eight dollars a foot, and nobles are twelve. Any tree marked with a pink ribbon has already been reserved, but any other trees are fair game."

"Great," Jethro said, taking the hacksaw the man offered him. "We'll be back before too long."

They headed out of the shack and into a field filled with trees of varying sizes and shapes, Tony bounding in front of them. "_What are we doing? Why are we here?" _

"_We're picking out a Christmas tree, buddy," _Jethro answered. Tony let out a little shout of excitement and jumped in circles around Jethro and Shannon.

"_A Christmas tree, a Christmas tree!" _He signed as he leapt. "_I've never picked a Christmas tree out before!" _

"_Never?" _Shannon signed. _"Then you can pick this one." _

"_I can pick? Me?" _

"_Yeah, kiddo. You." _

A half hour later, Tony still hadn't found the perfect tree. He inspected each one carefully, walking around it in circles and checking it from all angles. Inevitably, he would stand for a minute, one hand resting on his hip, then shake his head and move to the next tree.

"We're going to be here all day, Shan," Jethro murmured with a smile, watching as Tony once again started the routine.

"Maybe, but he's just so adorable," Shannon answered, laughing as Tony struck his now familiar pose, inspecting the tree. He looked at Shannon and Jethro and shook his head again, and they both started laughing. They watched as Tony ran to a new tree and once again repeated his inspection. This time, he let out a yell of delight and tore back toward Jethro and Shannon.

"_I found it, I found it," _he signed animatedly, grinning hugely. "_Over here!" _

Jethro and Shannon followed him, laughing as Tony stopped in front of his tree and spread his hands dramatically in front of it. The tree was beautiful, branches evenly spaced and a vibrant green.

"Damn. Looks like our boy's got an eye for detail," Jethro commented as he looked at the tree. "He'd make a good investigator."

"He'd make a good anything, J," Shannon said. "He's got potential up the wazoo."

Jethro laughed at his wife's wording.

"That he does, Shan."

xxxx

On Christmas Eve, after a week of decorating and making cookies and wrapping presents, Tony was sitting nestled between Jethro and Shannon on the couch, a cup of milk clutched in one hand, a sugar cookie in the other. He yawned widely and moved to rub his eyes, hindered by his full hands. Shannon gently took the cookie and smiled as Tony scrubbed at his eyes, then eased the milk from his grasp.

"_You'd better get to bed or Santa won't come," _Jethro signed. Tony looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

"_Santa isn't real. He doesn't bring presents," _Tony signed.

"_What? Santa isn't real?" _Jethro signed, looking horrified. "_Santa is real, Tony. He's bringing you presents tonight." _

Tony shook his head. _"Only babies believe in Santa." _

Jethro looked sternly at him as Shannon held him closer.

"_Is that what your father told you?" _

Tony looked down and nodded.

"_Your father was wrong. Now, you need to get to bed so he'll come, right?" _

"_Okay," _Tony said finally, though Jethro suspected that the kid was only agreeing with him to make him happy. Jethro carried him upstairs, unsurprised when he fell asleep before he even got to his room, then gently tucked him in.

The next morning, he gently shook his son awake.

"_Hey bud," _he signed when Tony blinked sleepily. "_Santa came!" _

Tony sat up in excitement, then looked at Jethro suspiciously.

"_Really?"_

"_Really." _

Tony jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs, nearly biting it on the last couple, before running into the front room. There, under the Christmas tree, was a brand new bike with a ribbon tied around the handlebars. Tony stopped dead, his mouth hanging open as he stared at the gift.

"_Do you like it?" _Shannon signed. _"Santa knew you were a good boy, huh?" _

"_It's beautiful," _Tony signed absently, without even looking at Shannon. He only had eyes for the bike. Walking forward hesitantly, he slowly ran his hands along the handlebars and over the seat.

"_Sweetheart? Do you want to open your other presents?" _Shannon asked, kneeling down in front of Tony.

"_There are more?" _Tony signed.

"_Yeah. For you." _

Tony smiled shyly and nodded. Shannon handed him a gift and sat back, smiling as Tony carefully opened the wrapping paper.

"Oh, come on," Jethro muttered, reaching over and ripping the paper. Tony looked up in surprise, then grinned, ripping the paper excitedly.

Jethro and Shannon smiled as Tony freaked out over every gift, from clothes to board games to puzzles, treating each one with the same amount of excitement.

"_For you," _Tony said, handing Shannon the gift that he and Jethro had so carefully wrapped. Shannon took it with a smile and opened it.

"_Thank you, Tony," _she signed, blinking away tears as she looked at the sculpture Tony had chosen for her. Tony smiled and wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

"Hey. This is from Kate," Jethro said, handing a gift over to Shannon. Shannon unwrapped it carefully, gasping when she saw what was inside.

"Oh, J," she murmured, holding it up. Kate had drawn a beautiful portrait of Tony, grinning happily and hair falling haphazardly across his eyes. Jethro smiled and shook his head.

"Damn. She got it perfect."

"Who's this from?" Shannon asked, holding up a package for Tony.

"Abby. That one's from Tim," Jethro answered, holding up another.

"That was sweet of them," Shannon said, handing them to Tony. She laughed when Tony held up a black sweatshirt with a skull and crossbones on it, followed by a set of Star Wars Legos. Ducky gave him a copy of 'Where the Wild Things Are,' and Ziva gave him a ninja Turtles action figure.

"_Hey buddy, I've got one more present for you," _Jethro said, holding out a small box. _"Careful with it." _

Tony nodded and gently opened the box, looking at its contents with side eyes. Inside was a glass bottle containing a carefully crafted ship. Tony lifted the bottle and looked at it, mouth open as he took in the intricate details of the hull and sails. His name had been painted on the side of the ship.

"_I made it for you, buddy," _Jethro said with a smile. Tony grinned and looked at the ship again before carefully setting it down and flinging himself at Jethro.

"Love you too, buddy," Jethro murmured, running his hands over Tony's hair and kissing his son's forehead.

Later that night, after eating a huge dinner and cleaning up the wrapping paper, Tony was sleeping soundly in bed, the ship-in-a-bottle right next to his bedside table. Shannon and Jethro were downstairs in front of the fire with a bottle of wine.

"Today was good," Shannon whispered, kissing Jethro's cheek. "He loved the bike."

"Mm," Jethro answered, kissing her back. "If there's one thing I know, it's how to pick out one hell of a bike."

"No, you also know how to make a damn fine boat," Shannon replied, nestling her head on Jethro's shoulder.

"Ship, baby. I make ships."

"Whatever," Shannon said, kissing him on the lips.

"Oh," Jethro said, lightly pushing her away. "I got something for you."

"Yeah?" Shannon asked sleepily.

"Yeah," Jethro replied, holding up a little jewelry box.

"J, you shouldn't have," Shannon whispered.

"Oh yes I should. Open it."

Shannon flipped the top open and gasped, then burst into tears. Inside was a necklace with a single gem on it- Tony's birthstone.

"Oh, Jethro, it's just- we're parents and- I don't even know!" Shannon sobbed. Jethro laughed lightly and pulled Shannon to him, kissing her hair and rubbing her shoulders.

"I know, Shan. I know."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: So time is going to start jumping around a little more now, and the angst is going to start piling on, so consider yourselves forewarned. Also, I'm pretty sure that I've never disclaimed the characters in this thing, so you've probably been assuming that I own them this whole time. Well, I don't.

xxxx

Time passed quickly after the first few months. Shannon returned to work part-time until Tony started kindergarten, and Tony was still attending preschool. He was absorbing what he was being taught at a surprising rate, coming home with new signs every day and practicing writing his name on every scrap of paper available. He and Kenny were good friends and often had play dates.

In August, Tony celebrated his fifth birthday, his first with his new family. From what Shannon and Jethro could gather, it was the first time he'd ever had a party and they were determined to make it a good one, complete with balloons and cake and presents and pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey. He'd laughed and glowed and radiated happiness.

A few weeks later, Tony started kindergarten. Shannon and Jethro were able to get him into the Maryland School for the Deaf, and they were excited about the opportunities that would be available. Tony wasn't as certain.

"_I'm scared," _he signed as Shannon helped him tie his shoes.

"_You're going to do great," _Shannon signed back. "_You were scared to start preschool too, remember, and you made lots of friends." _

"_And Kenny will be there too." _

"_Yep. Kenny will be there too." _

Tony took a deep breath and nodded, shrugging on his jacket and grinning when Shannon held out his backpack. It had been a birthday present from Tim, a How to Train Your Dragon backpack complete with a hood that had a dragon's face on the back and wings protruding from the side. He put it on and smiled widely, jumping so that his back was facing Shannon. She laughed at the sight of his hood and wings, then reached down and hugged him around the shoulders.

"_Ready?" _

"_Ready." _

Shannon followed Tony to the car and held his backpack as he scrambled into his seat, then helped him buckle in and handed the backpack back over.

"_Thanks," _Tony signed, clasping the backpack to his chest and grinning.

Shannon smiled as Tony started tapping on the booster seat, head bobbing with the rhythm. Looking in the rearview mirror at his wide-eyed, happy expression, she nodded in satisfaction. This would be good. He was going to be amazing.

Tony's hand gripped hers tightly as they walked down the hallway toward the kindergarten classroom. Shannon squeezed it tightly, smiling when Tony looked up at her with a frightened expression. She reached over with her other hand and traced 'OK' on the back of his hand. He nodded and took a deep breath, then stepped into the room. Shannon smiled as she took in the classroom and all its many decorations; there were bright pictures of animals and colors on the wall with everything written out and also explained with a tiny drawing of the sign for the word. On each desk was a name tag carefully written in both English and ASL.

"_Hi," _ a cheerful looking woman signed, coming over and smiling at them. "_My name is Miss Henderson." _She carefully finger spelled her name out as Tony watched carefully. He started to repeat it, but got lost after the first few letters.

"_Miss H is okay," _the teacher said. Tony nodded gratefully and signed 'Miss H.'

"_What's your name?" _Miss H asked. Tony shyly signed his own name.

"_Nice to meet you!" _Miss H signed, smiling widely. "_Do you want to find your seat?" _

Tony shrunk back against Shannon, shaking his head. Shannon bent down next to him, squeezing him in a hug.

"_Find your name, buddy," _she signed, gesturing towards the desks. Tony tugged her hand, so she followed after him, watching as he carefully looked at the name tags. He turned and smiled excitedly, pointing at one of the tags.

"_Yeah, that's yours. Great job, Tony!" _Shannon signed, watching with pride as Tony carefully set his backpack on the desk, then sat down in the chair. He looked back at Shannon anxiously.

"_Are you ready for me to go now?" _She asked. Tony shook his head slowly, then hesitated.

"_Yeah. You can go home," _he signed. Shannon smiled, proud of her son's independence while simultaneously feeling a pang of sadness. He was growing up.

"_Okay. I'll be back to pick you up after school." _

"_Okay." _

Shannon turned to go, then smiled when she felt little arms wrap around her legs.

"_Hey, buddy," _Shannon signed, bending over to hug Tony back. Tony stood on his tiptoes and planted a kiss on Shannon's cheek, then ran back to his desk. Shannon felt herself tearing up and walked quickly out the door, turning back to look at him once she was outside the classroom. He was sitting at his desk, legs swinging, signing rapidly at a girl next to him.

Yeah, he would be just fine.

xxxx

Tony proved to be quite the student, and, as predicted, quite the ladies man. He was enthusiastic and eager, learning signs and letters with as much voracity as he had in preschool, if not more. It only took a week for him to come home announcing that he had a girlfriend, Mary, who sat across from him and was the cutest girl in class. By the second month of school, he was taking the school bus both to and from school, with Jethro or Shannon walking him home.

In short, he was starting to grow up. Both Shannon and Jethro were having a bit of a hard time with his new independence, though it was simultaneously exciting and fun. By the time Thanksgiving and Christmas had come and gone again, they couldn't remember a time without Tony in their family. To be honest, they didn't really want to remember a time without him.

"_Mom, I made a picture for you!" _Tony signed, bursting through the door in a flurry of snow. Jethro came in behind him, laughing and shaking his head.

"Your son nailed me with a snowball," he said, watching as Tony shucked his coat and scarf. "He looks all innocent and cute, but he's a little monster." So saying, he leant down and tickled his unsuspecting son in the side, smiling as Tony squealed and tried to wriggle away from him.

"I got you now, you little terror," Jethro growled, blowing a raspberry on Tony's stomach. Tony arched his back and kicked out wildly, giggling in excitement. Finally, Jethro put him down, laughing when Tony immediately ran up and tickled him in the ribs before tearing away and hiding behind Shannon's legs.

"Oh, you think that's gonna stop me?" Jethro demanded, crouching and stalking towards Tony. Tony giggled and shifted so that he wasn't visible to Jethro anymore. Suddenly, Tony sprang forward and plowed into his father, laughing as Jethro fell to his back and writhed.

"He gets that from you," Shannon commented with a grin as Tony mercilessly tickled Jethro.

"Not even," Jethro grunted, then laughed as Tony attempted to blow a raspberry and ended up mostly just salivating on Jethro's stomach.

"Gross! You boys get cleaned up for dinner," Shannon scolded as she turned back to the food, then smiled as she heard Tony and Jethro racing to the bathroom.

A few nights later, Shannon was startled awake by a thud. Beside her, Jethro sat bolt upright, his hand inching toward the drawer he kept his gun locked in.

"Wait," Shannon whispered. "I think it might be Tony."

Jethro relaxed slightly, then stood up. "I'll go check," he said. "You stay here."

Shannon nodded and got up, pulling her robe around her as she waited.

"Shannon!" Jethro barked suddenly, his tone worried enough that it set off alarms in her head. He rushed into the room before she had a chance to even get out, Tony clutched in his arms.

:Oh no, oh crap, is he sick?" Shannon asked as Jethro gently set Tony down on the bed. Tony was crying, tears streaming down his face and making small whimpers and gasps.

"_Hey baby, what's wrong?"_ Shannon signed as Jethro stroked Tony's sweaty forehead.

"He's a little warm," Jethro said, his voice betraying his concern.

"_Tony, look at me sweetie," _Shannon signed, making careful eye contact.

Tony whimpered and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Aw, kiddo," Shannon murmured, feeling Tony's lymph nodes. _Please not strep, please not strep…_

Tony opened his eyes and shook his head, then held out his hands, whimpering again as he did so. Shannon gently took his hands in hers and winced in sympathy.

"It's the arthritis," Shannon said quietly. "He's having a flare-up." Shannon kissed Tony on the cheek as she spoke, running her hand through his hair in an attempt to soothe him as he cried.

"So what do we do?" Jethro asked, his voice slightly tremulous.

"Well, help me get him undressed," Shannon answered, "and bring up the children's aspirin. We'll see how bad it is, and hopefully we can get it calmed down enough that he can sleep tonight and we can get him into the doctor's first thing in the morning."

Jethro nodded and shifted Tony in his arms. Tony groaned painfully at even that small movement, and Shannon could see that it was taking all of her husband's efforts to remain composed.

"His fingers and wrists are bad," Shannon said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Careful as we get his shirt off." Jethro nodded again, clenching his jaw as he helped ease Tony's arm from his sleeve. Tony let out a short yelp, then fell quiet, lower lip trembling and tears coursing down his cheeks.

"Oh, buddy, I'm sorry," Jethro whispered, rubbing Tony's bare shoulders. Tony's hands and fingers were red and swollen.

"J, I have to take his pants off," Shannon said quietly, her voice trembling. She had tear tracks down her cheeks. Jethro leaned Tony back against him and wrapped one arm around Tony's thin chest, resting his hand over Tony's heart.

"I'm right here," he whispered, rubbing his thumb over Tony's chest. "It's okay. I'm right here."

Tony screamed when Shannon got his pants off, back arching against Jethro, small chest heaving with pain. His knees were huge and painful looking, and his ankles, while not as bad as his knees, were also swollen. Jethro was holding Tony's writhing form as tightly as he dared, rubbing circles on Tony's chest and trying to get his son to calm down. Shannon was running her hand through Tony's hair and kissing him repeatedly, trying to comfort him.

"I'm going to go get the aspirin. Take him to the bathroom and draw up a bath of warm water, as hot as Tony can stand it. It might help with the swelling."

"Okay," Jethro said, pressing a kiss to Tony's hair. "I'm just going to cut his underwear to get them off. I can't do that to him again."

"Good," Shannon said. "I'll be right back."

Jethro steeled himself and stood, cradling Tony to his chest. Tony was gasping and sobbing painfully, crying so hard that he seemed to be choking with every other breath. It was starting to freak Jethro out.

"Hey buddy, you need to breathe for me, kid," Jethro murmured, sitting down on the toilet as he let the water heat up. He held Tony upright against his chest, taking exaggerated breaths, one hand resting on Tony's ribcage.

"Deep breaths, kid. Like daddy, follow daddy," Jethro whispered, relieved when Tony grew slightly less hysterical, the hitching breaths settling to occasional whimpers or hiccups.

"There you go," Jethro said, feeling the bathwater. "_Okay bud, this is going to be warm, but it will help, okay?" _

Tony was too exhausted and in too much pain to really comprehend what was being said to him, so he nodded listlessly, groaning when Jethro carefully stood up. Jethro kissed his son's sweaty hair, then lowered him gently into the tub. Almost immediately, Tony yelped and arched his back, crying again. Jethro felt the water again, certain that it wasn't too hot, then knelt over and awkwardly wrapped an arm around Tony's shoulders, supporting his son's head on his arm.

Almost immediately, Tony relaxed, letting the warm water wash over his aching joints.

"There you go," Jethro whispered, cupping water and pouring it over Tony's chest. Shannon came into the bathroom, her face tight with concern.

"I left a message with the doctor. If we can't get him in first thing, we'll take him in to urgent care." Turning to Tony, she bit her lip, her eyes welling with tears.

"How's he doing?"

"The bath seems to be helping," Jethro answered. Tony was lying still in the tub, his face almost relaxed. He was blinking lethargically, clearly on the verge of sleep.

"_Hey baby," _Shannon signed, stroking Tony's hair. "_I need you to eat this for me, okay?" _

Tony obediently opened his mouth, chewing the tablets Shannon gave him weakly and frowning at the flavor.

"I've got some heat packs for him," Shannon said quietly. "Once the water starts to cool down, we'll use those."

Jethro nodded and looked down at Tony, taking in his pained expression and his swollen joints.

"Damn it," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "He's already been through so much. He doesn't deserve this shit."

"I know, J," Shannon said quietly, not looking up from where she was rubbing circles on Tony's tummy. "But we can't take it away. We just have to make it as unpleasant for him as possible."

Jethro nodded, then stayed silent for a minute, working his jaw. Shannon watched him, knowing how much her husband hated situations that were out of his control.

"The water's cooler," Jethro said finally.

Shannon grabbed a clean towel and switched places with Jethro, sitting on the toilet and holding the towel wide. Jethro gently picked Tony up and, pivoting, tucked him in to the towel Shannon was holding out. Gently, Shannon dried his little body, taking special care around his swollen joints, then cuddled his wrapped form to her chest and went into his bedroom, Jethro close behind with the heat packs.

"There you go, easy now," Shannon whispered, feeling Tony's trembling form in her arms. She laid him gently on his bed, biting her lip when he let out a muffled cry, and eased him into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. It was too cold for such clothes, but she was loathe to try to wrangle his painful limbs into anything with long sleeves.

"J, why don't you sit in his rocking chair?" Shannon asked. Jethro nodded and collapsed into the chair, clearly worn out. Shannon gently lifted Tony and settled him sideways' on Jethro's lap, legs stretched out and arms straight at his sides, then tucked the heat packs around his joints. She put a few warm blankets on top of both of them and watched as Jethro gently rocked Tony, one hand wrapped around his son, the other playing in Tony's hair. Shannon waited until they were both asleep before she wrapped a blanket around herself and fell asleep against Tony's bed.

A few days later, Tony was doing a lot better. The doctor had prescribed some medications to help with the swelling, and a physical therapist had taught Tony and his parents some exercises that would help him maintain mobility in his painful joints. At first, the exercises had been hell for both Tony and whoever was helping him do them; they were painful and difficult, and Tony's attempts to be quiet and to hold in his emotion inevitably made Shannon and Jethro feel even worse. After a few days of them, though, Tony's joints had loosened up enough that the exercises were no longer so painful, and after that things went more smoothly. By the time a week was up, Tony was almost completely back to normal.

"Shannon," Jethro said one evening after Tony had gone to bed. "What are we going to do? Tony missed a week of school. He can't do that every time this happens."

Shannon sighed. "I know, J. Hopefully this won't happen too often, and if it does, we know better how to handle it now. If we get him started on his medications early and do the exercises, it's possible he'll only miss a few days of school, and then maybe he can go in a wheelchair for a few days until it clears up completely."

Jethro took a deep breath, scrubbing at his eyes.

"He doesn't deserve this, Shan," he said. "And I can't do a damn thing about it."

"I know," Shannon whispered, scooting closer to her husband and resting her head on his shoulder. Jethro snaked an arm around her shoulders.

"How the hell am I supposed to make this better?" Jethro asked, his voice holding a tremor that Shannon had heard only on rare occasions before Tony came into their lives.

"You can be there for him," Shannon answered. "Be his dad. Let him cry on you. Let him be a kid. Love him."

Jethro was quiet for a minute, a hand over his eyes. Shannon knew he was trying to get his emotions under control.

"I can do that," he said finally.

"I know you can," Shannon answered. "I know you can."

Things returned to normal after that. Tony continued to love school, Shannon and Jethro continued to work. Tony was coming along so quickly in his sign language that Shannon had signed up to take a class at the local community center, and even Jethro was consulting Abby to learn some new signs.

Sometimes, they even forgot that Tony was deaf, that Tony had health problems, that Tony had a biological father out there and that he wasn't technically their son.

And then something would happen that brought it all crashing down again, that reminded them, brutally, that Tony wasn't completely okay, and that he probably never would be.

Jethro was working a case with the team, McGee hacking into something probably illegal, Kate and Ziva tracking down family members and coworkers as Gibbs tried to piece it all together, when his phone rang.

"Gibbs," he said, flipping the phone open.

"Jethro, you need to get to Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital as soon as you can," Shannon said without preamble. Jethro felt the blood drain from his face.

"What's going on?"

"The school called me. Tony was having some trouble, and by the time I got there he was- he- just, they took him to Maryland General and they're transferring him now. I'm driving there, should get there soon, and I just, I need you here, okay?" Shannon's voice sounded tense and nervous, and Jethro knew in his gut that this was worse than he'd been hoping.

"Of course Shan, I wouldn't be anywhere else. I'll get there as quickly as I can."

"Okay. Drive safe, Jethro, I don't want both my boys in the hospital," Shannon said, her voice cracking slightly.

"I'll be careful. See you soon."

He hung up the phone and looked at his team. They were all staring back, worried expressions on their faces.

"Tony's in the hospital," he said, grabbing his coat. "Finish up what you're doing and then you're done for the day."

"Wait," Kate called as Jethro got into the elevator. "Is he okay?"

Jethro looked at Kate, then shrugged. "I don't know, Kate," he said quietly as the elevator doors slid shut.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, as always. Sorry if you didn't get an alert about the last chapter; I don't know what happened there. And as for the cliffhanger…well, I absolutely love them, so expect more in the future. :)

xxxx

Tony had felt kind of weird all day. it wasn't the weird he felt before his legs and hands started hurting and it wasn't the weird he felt right before his throat had started burning, so he really had no idea what it was. He had noticed it on recess, when he had to stop playing kickball because his chest felt kind of funny and tight. He ended up playing on the swings, but that was okay because Mary liked the swings, and the one next to her was open.

At lunch, he hadn't been very hungry and had shared his crackers with Kenny in exchange for a stick of string cheese. He tucked it into his Dragon Backpack to eat after school, then ran off to recess. Kenny wanted to play Power Rangers, so Tony called being the red one. Kenny got mad about that because he wanted to be the red one, but the rules were the rules and Tony called red fair and square. Kenny glared and finally chose blue. After a few minutes of running around and battling Lord Zedd (a rather large oak tree that sat in the corner of the playground) Tony had to stop again.

Kenny called him a chicken and then complained that he couldn't defeat Lord Zedd on his own, and it really wasn't very red-ranger like to quit. Tony wanted help, he really did, but his chest felt funny again and he felt kind of…tingly. Kenny stopped ranting about Power Rangers and actually looked kind of worried.

"_Should I get a teacher?" _He asked. Tony shook his head, rubbing subconsciously at his chest.

"_I'm okay,_" he signed. "_Do you want to play on the swings?" _

Kenny nodded eagerly. Tony was glad. If the teacher had to come, he wouldn't be allowed to play anymore, and he'd have to sit in the classroom and watch the kids outside playing. He spent the rest of recess swinging with Kenny and Mary, and by the time he went back to class, the tingling was gone.

After recess, Miss Henderson gave them a coloring page with the letter 'L' on it. it had a picture of a lizard eating a lollipop with a ladybug. Tony carefully colored the lizard black and had just started on the lollipop when the tingly feeling came back. He accidentally dropped his crayon and bent down to pick it up and when he straightened up again, his head felt tingly too, and his heart was pounding. He looked down to see if maybe he could see his heart because it felt like it had just battered its way outside his body, but he didn't see anything. When he looked up again, he left like he was flying or maybe falling, and he planted his hands firmly on his desk to keep himself from floating away.

It took him a second to realize that Miss Henderson was crouched down in front of him, signing something at him, but he was too busy trying to stay in his desk, trying to stay on the ground, to pay attention. She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder and suddenly, Tony was back in his seat, back on firm ground.

"_Are you okay?" _Miss Henderson signed, looking concerned.

Tony nodded slowly, so his head wouldn't start tingling again. Miss Henderson didn't look convinced. She had the same face that Daddy wore whenever Tony told him he'd brushed his teeth but really hadn't.

"_Why don't you get your things and you can go see the nurse?" _

Tony didn't really want to see the nurse, and he really didn't want to walk to the nurse's office, but he slowly stood up anyway and made his way cautiously to the wall, where his Dragon Backpack was on his hook. Miss Henderson was watching him closely, but Tony didn't know why. He carefully slipped his backpack on, then stood up and took a tentative step toward the door.

His head started tingling again, but this time it was in a rush, a wave so intense that he stumbled forward and then fell to his knees. Miss Henderson was running toward him but it was like everything had slowed down, like Miss Henderson was moving but wasn't. His heart was thudding and making a weird rhythm, missing a few beats here, adding a few there. He didn't think it was supposed to do that.

Miss Henderson was still signing to him, but her face was kind of fuzzy and blurry and fading around the edges, and she started tilting funny. It wasn't until his face hit the floor that Tony realized _he_ was the one tilting. Tony was vaguely aware of someone lifting his head and touching his face and neck, and then his chest, but he was too busy focusing on breathing around the painful beating of his heart to really notice, and by the time he realized that maybe something really bad was happening, he was passing out completely.

xxxx

Shannon was driving as fast as Jethro normally did, speeding up the freeway and thanking whatever deity was listening that she worked close to Tony's school. The phone call she'd gotten had been unsettling to say the least. The nurse had sounded worried, borderline panicked, trying to hide her emotions as she'd explained that Tony was having heart arrhythmias and tachycardia, and that she had called an ambulance.

Shannon got to the school about the same time the paramedics did, hurrying down the hall after them, muttering prayers under her breath. Tony's classmates were lined up against the wall outside of the classroom, and another teacher was going patiently through the alphabet with them, throwing occasional concerned glances toward the classroom. Shannon spotted Kenny as she hurried past and tried not to read too much into how distraught he looked, tried not to think about what had caused that look of distress.

And then she was there, and it didn't matter how much she didn't want to think about it. Tony was lying on the floor, gasping weakly. One hand was twisted into his shirt above his heart, while the other hand scrabbled at the tile floor. He was whimpering softly, tears streaming down his face. He looked terrified. Shannon hurried to his side right behind the paramedics and gripped his hand in hers.

"It's okay, baby, I'm right here," she murmured, spelling out OK on his palm in their special signal. Tony turned toward her, blinking rapidly, and reached his other hand toward her, his lips soundlessly forming the word 'mom.'

"Ssh, Tony, sweetie, I know, I know," Shannon soothed, stroking Tony's hair as a medic grabbed Tony's outstretched hand and wrapped a blood pressure cuff around it. Tony whimpered in fear, and Shannon bent over and kissed his forehead, trying to keep him calm.

"He's warm," Shannon said, fear settling in the pit of her stomach.

One paramedic nodded in acknowledgement then pressed a stethoscope to Tony's chest as the other got a blood pressure reading.

"He's tachycardic," the paramedic with the stethoscope muttered. "And he's got a distinctive heart murmur."

"BP's low, I'll hook him up to a bag of saline. You check his temp."

Shannon tried not to hear what they were saying, focusing instead on the boy in front of her, on keeping eye contact with him, on keeping him as grounded as she could. Tony, for his part, was fighting for all he was worth, little chest heaving up and down, mouth open as he gasped for air.

"Temp's almost 104," the medic said, swearing under his breath. He settled an oxygen mask on Tony's face and spoke into his radio. Shannon could feel the fear and uncertainty rising like bile in her throat.

"Just keep it up, baby," Shannon whispered to Tony, but his eyes were turning dull, glassy, and she could almost feel him slipping away from her. "You stay with me, kid. Right here, Tony." She knew he couldn't hear her, was maybe even past the point of feeling her, but she had to try the only way she knew how, had to offer what little comfort she could to her son- and to herself.

"Ma'am, we need to get him to the hospital right away," a paramedic said as he and his partner lifted Tony's lax form onto a stretcher. "You can ride in the ambulance. Especially with kids, having a parent really helps, and he can't hear anything, so…"

"Yeah. I understand," Shannon said, nodding. "But, my car, it's in the way-"

"Shannon?" A woman said. Shannon turned around and recognized the speaker to be Kenny's mom. "I was here to volunteer today. I can follow behind in your car if you'd like."

"Please, would you?" Shannon said, fumbling to find her keys. Tony gasped and cried out weakly when Shannon broke contact with him.

"Just a sec, just a minute," Shannon muttered, finally producing her keys and handing them to Kenny's mom before quickly wrapping her hand around Tony's again. "Thank you."

"Not a problem," Kenny's mom answered. "You just take care of that little boy."

"I will," Shannon answered, following the stretcher out of the room. She continued stroking Tony's hair back, clambering into the ambulance behind him.

"Ma'am, you'll need to stay back a bit," the medic said, nodding when Shannon moved back but didn't loosen her grip on Tony's hand. The medic quicky attached some leads to Tony's chest, frowning at the heart rate monitor. Shannon felt tears coming to her eyes as she heard the unsteady rhythm of the monitor but shook her head, forcing herself to remain calm for Tony's sake.

"You're doing great, baby," she whispered, watching as the medic checked Tony's IV and temperature. "You're doing great."

Tony blinked up at her lethargically, whimpering softly as Shannon thumbed his hot forehead. He brought his hand up and grasped hers in his, then spelled 'OK' out on her hand. Shannon blinked back the tears that could no be contained and nodded.

"I know, kiddo, it's okay, you're okay," she whispered, trying to smile at her son. Tony offered her a small, hesitant half-smile just before his eyelids slipped closed.

"Tony? Buddy, come on," the medic said, tapping Tony's cheek, then moving to a sternal rub. "Damn it kid, work with me here," he muttered, settling his stethoscope on Tony's chest again, moving it around and shaking his head.

"Damn it!" He muttered, tugging the oxygen mask down and settling an ambu bag over his mouth. "Dave, what's our ETA?" He barked.

"5 minutes, Greg," Dave answered from the front.

"Kid just went in to respiratory arrest," Greg said, the urgency clear in his voice.

"Damn it," Dave muttered, stepping on the gas.

"It's okay, Tony," Shannon whispered, holding his hand tightly and rubbing soothing circles over his still chest. The heartbeat tracing along the heart rate monitor was even more erratic than it had been, and Shannon squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to contain her panic.

This was her son. This was her son, hurt, maybe dying. And she couldn't do anything about it, couldn't take away the virus that had changed his life so drastically, couldn't take away the lifelong problems he was going to have. She couldn't do a damn thing.

"Ma'am, we're here," Greg said, startling Shannon out of her reverie. She could only watch as they wheeled Tony out of the back of the ambulance, rushing into the emergency room. Shannon followed numbly, trying to stay calm and focused. She couldn't do anything to fix it, but she could be there for her son, just like she'd told Jethro those weeks ago. She could do that.

By the time she'd gotten into the ER, there was a fair bit of chaos surrounding her little boy. It was noting that she wasn't used to, as a pediatric nurse, but to see it around Tony, around her darling child, was a different matter.

"Shannon?"

"Oh, yeah?" Shannon said, turning toward the speaker. It was Kenny's mom.

"Hey sweetie, my husband's coming to pick me up. Your car is on the second floor of the parking garage, right across from the elevators, okay?"

"Oh, okay," Shannon said numbly, taking the keys the other woman extended to her. "I'm sorry, I don't even remember your name-"

"Don't worry about it, honey. It's Helen, but don't you worry about that right now. How are you holding up? How is he?"

"He's, uh, he's been better," Shannon said, running a shaky hand through her hair. "So have I."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Helen said, putting a hand on Shannon's shoulder. "Listen, if you need anything, let me know, okay? Anything."

"Okay," Shannon whispered, nodding slightly. "Thank you. I, uh, I really appreciate it."

"Of course. Anytime, Shannon."

"Mrs. Gibbs?" A doctor said, coming over to where Shannon was sitting.

"Yeah, that's me," she answered, standing up and ringing her hands nervously. "How's he doing?"

"He's having significant cardiac distress," the doctor said. "We've got him stabilized enough that we're going to transfer him to Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital. We've already called and they've got a pediatric cardiologist standing by."

"Okay," Shannon whispered. "Okay. Can I see him first?"

"Of course. He's unconscious, but you can see him for a few minutes, then we'll life-flight him out."

"Thank you," Shannon whispered, nodding at Helen before following the doctor to the trauma bay that Tony was in.

"Hey Tony," she said quietly, kneeling next to the stretcher and reaching out to touch Tony's face. There was an oxygen mask covering his mouth, leads and wires attached to his chest, and IVs in his arms. Shannon was relieved to see that he was breathing on his own again.

"You're going to be okay, buddy. Just hang on, okay? Daddy and I will be there soon, you've just got to hang on."

She walked with the stretcher, Tony's hand clasped in hers, as they went to the helipad. She watched as his stretcher was loaded onto the helicopter, the medic on the copter giving the thumbs up before closing the door and carrying her baby away.

She didn't even know how she got to her car, but the next thing she knew, she was on the phone with Jethro and driving towards the hospital. She said something to her husband, though she couldn't remember what, then kept driving, trying to clear her head.

xxxx

"Anthony Gibbs. I'm here to see my son, Anthony Gibbs," Jethro said impatiently at the front desk of the hospital. "He just came in, transferred from General."

"He just got here, sir," the receptionist said, tapping a few keys. "Are you with Shannon Gibbs?"

"Yes, that's my wife," Jethro said hurriedly.

"She's in a family waiting room. I can take you there if you'd like."

"Yes, please," Jethro said, trying to remain calm as he followed the woman to a small room.

"Oh, J," Shannon said, standing and rushing into his arms as soon as she saw him.

"Shannon," Jethro whispered, alarmed as Shannon broke down into tears. "Shan, what's going on?"

"He's got something going on with his heart," she answered, her voice muffled. "He, um, he stopped breathing in the ambulance on the way to General, but he was breathing on his own by the time they transferred him."

Jethro felt his breath catch painfully in his chest for a second, and he tightened his arms around Shannon instinctively, clutching her to him.

"But he's br-breathing now?" He whispered, rubbing Shannon's back. She nodded against his chest.

"They're running some tests and stabilizing him now," Shannon said. "And he's got a pediatric cardiologist looking at him, best in the hospital, apparently."

"Damn straight," Jethro murmured. "Only the best to work on our son."

Shannon smiled through her tears, sniffling and wiping at her nose.

"Sorry. I got your shirt wet."

"Shut up," Jethro murmured good naturedly. "As if that matters."

Shannon laughed too, then sobered quickly. "He's going to be okay, right? I mean, the world can't be this cruel."

"No one ever said life was fair," Jethro said quietly, rubbing Shannon's shoulders. "But he's going to be okay. He knows better than to do anything stupid without asking my permission first."

"Anything stupid like dying?" Shannon whispered.

"Yeah," Jethro answered, kissing her head. He was unable to say anything else though, surprised by the sudden lump in his throat.

Sometime later, neither had any idea how long, a doctor came into the room to see them.

"Hi, you're Tony's parents?" At their affirmative nods, the doctor sat down and continued speaking. "I'm Dr. Jenkins, and I've been working on your son. Tony came in with severe tachycardia and arrhythmias, and his breathing was labored. Based on the tests we've run, we've determined that Tony has infective endocarditis."

Shannon let out a little cry and buried her head in her hands. Jethro looked at her, startled.

"Shannon?" He said, rubbing her back in concern. How bad was this?

"I should've done something," she said, her voice cracking. "I should have kept a closer eye on him, or _something._ I knew this could happen."

"Mrs. Gibbs," Jenkins said, sitting forward. "Even if you knew that Tony was more susceptible to infections of this nature, you can't always prevent them. This was not your fault."

Shannon nodded, taking a deep breath. "Okay. I'm sorry. Please, continue explaining Tony's condition."

"We've gotten him stabilized; his temp's down, his blood pressure is up, his breathing is better. We've got him on oxygen and strong antibiotics, which seem to be working fantastically. We're still going to keep him at least a couple days, though, because until the infection is completely gone, he's at risk for another cardiac episode."

"Right," Jethro said, nodding. "But he's doing better?"

"He's doing much better," the doctor confirmed.

"What about long term?" Shannon asked, her voice trembling. "Did this damage his heart any further?"

Jenkins took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes.

"The condition of his heart valves did deteriorate, but only slightly. At this point, I don't think it's severe enough to require surgery, and he should be able to live an almost completely normal lifestyle. He'll have to avoid things such as contact sports, and you'll have to keep an eye on him for future episodes."

"But other than that, I mean, not that that's not enough, but he's- he's going to be okay, right?" Jethro asked.

"Yes. Barring any complications, which I really do not anticipate, he should be fine."

Both Jethro and Shannon let out sighs of relief, and they embraced.

"Holy shit, I think this kid just added about ten years," Jethro whispered holding Shannon tightly.

"And quite a few gray hairs," Shannon said, fingering his hair.

"You can come see him, if you'd like," Dr. Jenkins said. They followed him into Tony's room, a brightly lit room with airplanes painted along the top of the wall. Tony was sitting up in bed, a cannula in his nose and IVs in his arms, but a smile on his face as Shannon and Jethro entered.

"Hey little guy," Jethro said, signing as he spoke.

"Mom, Dad," Tony signed, holding his arms out. He hugged them both tightly around the neck, smiling again when they stood up.

"_Can I go home_?" He signed, levering himself up.

"_Not today, buddy,"_ Shannon answered.

"_Why not?"_ Tony signed with a yawn.

"_I said so, that's why," _Jethro answered, smiling when Tony laughed softly.

"_I'm tired," _Tony signed, yawning again.

"_Sleep, kiddo," _Shannon signed, settling into the chair next to his bed. "I'll take him tonight if you want to go home tonight."

"Sure," Jethro said. "I'm off tomorrow, so I'll come in in the morning."

"Love you," Shannon said softly, kissing her husband.

"Love you too," Jethro answered, then leant over and kissed Tony's head.

"I'll see you in the morning."

Over the next few days, Tony continued to improve, and his room became littered with gifts and flowers. Jethro had brought Bunny in with him, and the kids in Tony's kindergarten class had decorated a large poster for him. Jethro's team members had all stopped in at one time or another, and even Jackson had made the trip down.

On the day of Tony's release, Shannon and Jethro wheeled him out to the car, grinning as all of the nurses on the peds floor made sure to high-five or wave to Tony as they left.

"We're gonna have a hell of a time once he hits his teenage years," Jethro muttered under his breath. Shannon laughed, nodding in agreement.

It was refreshing to hear Tony's tapping on his booster seat again.

Tony was still pretty weak, so Jethro picked him up, cradling him and Bunny to his chest, walking in behind Shannon.

"_Surprise!" _

As they walked through the door, a large group of people popped up, Kenny and Mary and their parents, Tony's teacher, Jethro's team, some of Shannon's coworkers, Jackson.

Every single one of them had learned the sign for 'surprise.'

"Oh," Shannon breathed, tears welling in her eyes. Jethro set Tony down, watching as he ran forward, giggling, to greet everyone.

"You know about this?" Jethro asked, wrapping his arms around Shannon from behind.

"No," Shannon answered. "I sure as hell didn't."

They watched, smiling, as Tony interacted with his friends.

"This kid is loved by a lot of people," Jethro whispered.

"It's about time," Shannon answered. "He's always been special. I'm just glad that the world is finally realizing it."

They watched for a few more minutes, just taking it in, before finally joining the party.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Sorry, I know this is a bit shorter than usual, but I wanted to get something out as finals week is coming up, and I likely won't be able to write for a little while. Merry Christmas and happy holidays, guys!

A/N again: I am so sorry! I forgot to say that time had passed; Tony is in 3rd grade and 8 years old in this chapter. My apologies to those of you who read this and got confused, and thanks to Graphicmaker1 for pointing it out. Sorry guys!

xxxx

Shannon flushed the toilet and pulled herself to her feet, wiping her mouth off with the back of her hand. She washed her hands and ran some cold water in the sink, splashing it across her face before cupping some in her hands and rinsing her mouth out. An insistent knock at the door followed by a spate of giggles reminded her that she still needed to walk Tony to the bus stop.

"Hang on, bud," she said, opening the door; she had long ago accepted that she would always talk to Tony, whether he could hear her or not. As the door swung out, Tony leapt out in front of her, hands raised in claws, growling ferociously. Shannon feigned surprise and fear, staggering back into the counter.

"_Scared you!_" Tony signed, giggling happily.

"_You did!" _Shannon signed, fanning at her face. "_I was so scared!"_

Tony smiled again, then grabbed Shannon's hand.

"_Time to go, Mom," _he signed, pulling her out of the bathroom. "_I get to see Lauren today!"_

"_Lauren?_" Shannon signed before pulling her coat on. _"What about Molly?" _

Tony made a face and shrugged. _"That didn't work out,"_ he signed, and Shannon had to keep herself from laughing at how adult he sounded when he said that.

"_Oh, okay. You'd better get to school to see Lauren, then." _

Tony nodded excitedly, jumping towards the door and throwing it open. It was November, and though it hadn't yet started snowing, the air was crisp and cool. Shannon smiled, glad that she had grabbed her coat, and walked behind Tony, grinning as he leapt and bounded down the sidewalk. He'd blossomed and grown into an outgoing, charming, enthusiastic little boy, infectious in his happiness. There were still off days, of course, still occasional nightmares and foul moods, but even when Tony was arguing or grumpy it was to some degree a blessing. There had been a time when Tony wouldn't have dared voice his opinion over anything, let alone when he was displeased by something.

Health-wise, life had been up-and-down as well. Tony hadn't had any other cardiac episodes to match the first in intensity, but they'd had a few minor scares. His arthritis flared up every few months, lasting as long as three weeks in one particularly bad instance, but the whole family knew his physical therapy exercises by now and were able to help him through.

Shannon and Jethro could hardly remember life without him.

Tony tugging on Shannon's hand brought her back to the present.

"_Bye Mom, see you later!" _

"_No, what do I get first?" _Shannon signed, smiling at her little boy. Tony rolled his eyes and groaned.

"_Fine," _he signed, then stood on his tiptoes and kissed Shannon on the cheek before scrambling onto the bus. Shannon watched the bus drive away, then turned for home, breaking into a run when the all too familiar feeling of nausea welled up again.

By the time she got to work, Shannon was starting to feel a little bit better.

"Shannon, you look terrible," Marcie commented as soon as Shannon walked in.

"Gee, thanks Marcie," Shannon answered. "For your information, I've been throwing up all morning."

Marcie made a face, then shook her head. "You know better than to come into work sick, Shannon."

"I know, Marcie, but I'm feeling better now, and I think that maybe…"

"No. No way," Marcie said. "You think so? Do you have a test?"

Shannon nodded, pulling a pregnancy test from her purse.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go urinate on that stick, woman!" Marcie said, grinning excitedly.

"I don't have to pee yet," Shannon answered with a shrug. "And I don't want to get my hopes up. It's not- this is really, really unlikely."

"Okay, Shannon. You know what patients you've got today. Work for a couple hours, drink a buttload of water, and you'll find out on your break, okay?"

Shannon nodded. "What if- what if it's positive?" She whispered. "I don't want to get Jethro's hopes up, Tony's hopes up, when there's a good chance that I'll miscarry. I don't want to get my own hopes up."

Marcie put a comforting hand on Shannon's shoulder and squeezed. "Hey. Let's take this one step at a time, okay? Go get some work done, try to keep your mind off of it."

"Okay. Thanks, Marcie."

"No problem, Shannon. Chin up."

It was easy to lose yourself in your work when you were working with vulnerable, scared little kids, and Shannon did just that. She comforted and cajoled, soothed and smiled, explained tests and procedures to parents and children alike. She loved her job, loved that she was helping children, loved that this was how she'd met Tony.

She was still scared, though.

By the time break came around, she was trembling slightly, nearly crying with anxiety.

"You ready?" Marcie asked, hugging Shannon tightly around the shoulders.

"Yeah," Shannon answered, taking a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Five minutes later, Marcie and Shannon were sitting at the nurse's station, hunched around a tiny white plastic stick.

"We probably look ridiculous you know," Shannon muttered without taking her eyes off the test.

"No way," Marcie said. "This is exciting as hell."

Shannon frowned. "It's just sitting there, Marcie."

"Well yeah, but it'll do something soon. I think."

They lapsed into silence for a moment before Marcie abruptly smacked Shannon's arm.

"I think it's coming, I think it's coming!" She cried, waving her arms.

Shannon took a deep breath and shook her head, then closed her eyes.

"Shannon, I'm not going to look until you do. You should be the first one to know," Marcie said, turning her back on the test. "You can do this."

Shannon bit her lip in an attempt not to cry. She had tried not to let her hopes get up, not to think that this could be the miracle she and Jethro had been praying for for years, but she had. She wanted to have a child, she wanted Tony to be a big brother, she wanted to see Jethro hold their baby…

She opened her eyes.

And burst into tears.

xxxx

it was pizza night in the Gibbs household. Jethro waited at the bus stop impatiently, knowing that Tony would be excited and jumpy as soon as he got off the bus.

"_Hey buddy," _he signed as soon as Tony came off the stairs.

"_Dad!" _Tony signed, running forward. _"Do you remember what today is?" _

Jethro scrunched his face up, cocking his head to the side. "_It's Friday, Tony." _

Tony frowned and shook his head. "_No, it's pizza day, Dad." _

Jethro laughed, once again amazed by Tony's ability to emit everything he was feeling through his signs. His attitude was coming out loud and clear right now.

"_You're right, kid. And tonight is movie night, too." _

"_Yeah!" _Tony signed, pumping his fist in the air.

"_Well, let's get you home and get your homework done, and then we'll go." _

Tony nodded, running toward the house. Jethro grinned and loped after him.

A few hours later, Tony was strapped in and ready to go. The eight year old was still a bit underweight, and he was still in the car seat, much to his chagrin. He still tapped out rhythms every time they drove anywhere, and it had gotten to the point that car rides seemed lonely without it.

As soon as they got to the pizza place, Tony bounded out of the car, holding the door open for Jethro.

"_Thanks, buddy. What are we going to get today?" _

"_Pepperoni, extra cheese, extra sausage!" _Tony signed, grinning widely. Jethro shook his head.

"_How did I know that was coming?" _

"'_Cause it's the best," _Tony signed.

Jethro sighed and ordered the pizza, then sat down on a bench to wait for it to get finished.

"_Can we get dessert today too?" _Tony signed, legs swinging back and forth.

"_Sure. Your mom really loves chocolate. What do you think about maybe some chocolate cake?"_

"_Sounds good," _Tony signed. "_I'm hungry." _

"_You're always hungry," _Jethro signed, knuckling Tony's head good-naturedly.

"_Yeah, well, you're old," _Tony signed, grinning and ducking out of Jethro's reach. Jethro shook his head.

"_Smart ass,"_ he signed. Tony snorted.

"_I'm gonna tell Mom you swore," _he signed, laughing.

"_Oh no you don't. This was just between us men," _Jethro answered, reaching out and tickling Tony's rib cage.

"_Okay, okay!" _Tony signed, squirming away from his dad.

"Order for Jethro?" The pizza guy said, sliding two pizzas toward them. Jethro stood up, handing one pizza to Tony, and they took them back to the car.

At the movie store, Tony quickly picked out TMNT to watch, and they picked up a cake at the grocery store before heading home, the smell of pizza wafting through the car.

"We got the pizza, Shan," Jethro called as they walked into the house. Tony carried the pizza into the kitchen, sliding it onto the counter before carefully pulling plates out of the cabinets.

"Shannon? Baby?" Jethro called, setting the cake on the counter.

"I'm coming, sorry," Shannon answered, running down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"How was your day?" Jethro asked, wrapping his arms around his wife.

"Great. How was yours?"

"Good,"

"_How was your day, Tony?" _Shannon signed.

"_Awesome. Lauren sat by me at lunch." _

"_Really?" _Shannon signed, smiling at her son's enthusiasm.

"_Yeah. Everyone says she likes me." _

"_Why wouldn't she?" _Shannon signed. "_You're cute." _

Tony and Jethro exchanged a glance of disgust.

"_What?" _Shannon signed, frowning. "_You are!" _

Tony shook his head, sighing. _"I am not cute, Mom. I'm handsome." _

Shannon nodded slowly in understanding.

"_Okay. Sorry. You're very handsome, Tony." _

Tony grinned and settled back into his seat, clearly satisfied.

After dinner, they ate their cake and watched the movie. By the time the closing credits started rolling, Tony had fallen asleep leaning on Jethro's shoulder, a spot of drool growing around his mouth.

"He's pretty wiped out," Jethro commented, stroking the hair back from Tony's forehead.

"Yeah," Shannon agreed, smiling fondly at her son's sleeping form.

"I should take him up to bed, but I kinda like it here," Jethro commented quietly. "He's such a good kid."

Shannon nodded, unexpectedly feeling tears come to her eyes.

"I have some news," Shannon said finally, looking up at Jethro.

"News?" Jethro repeated. "What kind of news?"

"I'm pregnant," she said quietly, tears welling in her eyes. Jethro stared at her in shock.

"But- I thought- we can't do that, can we?" Jethro asked, frowning.

"I don't know how, J, but I took a pregnancy test today, and I've got an appointment with an obstetrician tomorrow."

"We're having a baby," Jethro whispered. "We're having a baby! I can't believe this. Tony is going to be so excited."

"Yeah, about that," Shannon said, kissing her son on the forehead. "I'm not sure how we should tell him. I'm worried that he'll feel- not threatened, but-"

"Insecure?" Jethro supplied.

"Yes, exactly," Shannon said. "I don't want him to feel like we won't want him because of this baby."

"Don't worry," Jethro whispered. "We'll talk to him in the morning, and he's going to be excited. if he isn't- well, let's cross that bridge when we get there, okay?"

Shannon nodded, snuggling into Jethro's shoulder. She smiled when Tony shifted in his sleep so that his hand rested on Shannon's head.

"I am so happy about this, Shannon," Jethro whispered. "I don't even know what to say."

"I know, J," Shannon answered quietly. "But you have to realize that there's every likelihood that I'll miscarry in the next couple of weeks-"

"Don't say that," Jethro whispered, pressing a finger to Shannon's lips. "Right now, let's just be happy, okay?"

Shannon nodded, feeling tears of happiness stream down her cheeks.

"I love you, Shan," Jethro whispered, pressing a kiss to her head. "I love seeing you with Tony, and I can't wait to see you with our baby."

"I love you to, Jethro. And I am so happy and so excited, but I'm scared too. I don't want to- I don't want to get attached to this baby, like we have to all of the other babies, and just lose it again. I can't- I don't know if I can handle that."

"I understand," Jethro said, brushing a strand of hair from Shannon's eyes. "So we won't tell Tony for a few weeks, okay? Until it seems like things are more likely to go well. But you can't stop yourself from getting attached any more than I can. This is a risk that we have to take, Shannon, a good risk. This is our baby."

Shannon took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

"Okay. Okay."

"Okay?" Jethro repeated. Shannon nodded.

"Yeah. I'm going to be positive. This is going to be great. A great experience for me, and you, and for Tony."

"Damn straight," Jethro said. "We're going to have a baby. And it's going to be a damn good looking one, too."

Shannon chuckled, then was quiet for a minute, the only sound in the room the sound of Tony's soft snores, before she suddenly spoke up again.

"You know, I've always liked the name Kelly."


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Thanks so much for the great reviews and the good wishes on finals. They're over now, and I'm back home and excited to have some free time to write again! Still, I'm not sure how often I'll get the chance between all the family activities and whatnot, but I'll try to get a couple more chapters out in the next couple of weeks. Enjoy!

xxxx

Saturday morning, Shannon and Jethro got up early and cooked Tony's favorite breakfast, chocolate chip pancakes and bacon with hash browns. They'd discussed how they wanted to tell him and had decided that they would take it gently and try to make sure that Tony was certain of his place in their family.

"I'll go wake him," Jethro said, planting a kiss on Shannon's neck and pressing a hand lightly to her stomach. "This is gonna go great."

Shannon smiled slightly, nodding. "Yeah. I'm sure it will."

Jethro walked up the stairs and into Tony's room, shaking his head at the mess of toys and crayons and coloring books scattered across the floor, then grinned at the sight of Tony sprawled out on his bed, limbs tangled and hair askew.

"Come on bud," Gibbs said quietly, shaking Tony's shoulder. Tony grunted and turned away, burying his face in his pillow.

"None of that, kid, come on," he said, shaking a bit more insistently before leaning in for the kill and tickling Tony in the ribs. Tony sat upright with a muffled squeal, glaring angrily at Jethro.

"_Hey!" _He signed, glaring at Jethro again but unable to keep himself from smiling. _"Smells good." _

"_Your mom and I cooked breakfast," _Jethro signed. "_It's going to be delicious." _

"_And if it isn't, we pretend it's good, right?" _Tony signed with a mischievous smile.

'_It's good," _Jethro said, shaking his head at Tony's ornery sense of humor. Tony laughed and climbed out of bed, then ran down the stairs with Jethro trailing after him.

"_Morning!" _He signed to Shannon as he ran into the room. Shannon smiled and waved back, setting a few plates of food on the table. Tony grinned as he sat down, barely tall enough to sit on the chair without a booster seat now.

"_Looks good," _he signed, rubbing his stomach for emphasis.

"_It is," _Shannon answered, scooping a few pancakes onto his plate.

"_Chocolate chips!" _Tony signed, clapping his hands together. "_They're my favorite." _

"_I know," _Shannon signed, adding bacon to his plate.

Tony looked at the bacon, then looked up, his smile fading and changing into a look of suspicion.

"_What's going on?" _He asked, eying his parents.

"_What do you mean?" _Jethro asked innocently.

"_All my favorite foods," _Tony signed, frowning. _"Something is going on." _

Jethro laughed, looking at Shannon with a shrug.

"He reminds me of you," Shannon grumbled, shaking her head. She turned back to Tony and offered him a smile.

"_Actually, there is something, but it isn't anything bad." _

Tony continued staring suspiciously at them, switching from Shannon to Jethro and back.

"_Tony, I'm pregnant. We're having a baby." _

Tony stared at them with wide eyes.

"_A baby?" _He signed. Shannon nodded worriedly; Tony's face gave nothing away, not excitement or fear or anxiety.

"_I'm going to be a big brother?" _He signed finally, a grin spreading over his face.

"_Yes," _Shannon signed, feeling a wave of relief spread over her. Tony got out of his chair and ran around the table to Shannon's side, wrapping his arms around her waist before stepping back and signing rapidly.

"_If it's a brother, I'll teach him how to play football and we can play Ninja Turtles together!" _

"_What if it's a girl?" _Jethro signed, grinning.

Tony frowned, scrunching up his nose.

"_She can still play football, right?" _

Shannon laughed, ruffling Tony's hair. That had gone better than expected.

xxxx

As time passed, though, it became clear that Tony was having some anxiety about the baby, though not in the way that Shannon and Jethro had been expecting.

One day about five months from Shannon's due date, Jethro picked Tony up from school, and it was clear that the little boy had something pressing on his mind. He'd been quiet lately, unwilling to talk to his parents and even hesitant to make eye contact.

Once they got home, Tony headed straight for his room. Jethro shook his head and followed after him. He sat down on Tony's bed and made eye contact with his son, who was sitting at his desk, staring determinedly at his homework.

"_What's up, kiddo?" _Jethro signed, looking at Tony in concern. Tony didn't answer for a minute, biting his lip uncertainly. Finally he looked up at Jethro with wide, frightened eyes.

"_We love Baby, right?" _He signed. He had taken to calling the baby just 'Baby' until they found out whether it was a boy or girl. Jethro looked at him in surprise.

"_Of course we love Baby," _Jethro answered, frowning. _"Why would you ask that?" _

Tony was hesitant, clearly worried that he'd said something wrong.

"_I'm sorry," _he signed, turning away.

"Hey," Jethro said, turning Tony's head back towards him. _"Don't be sorry. What's going on?" _

Tony shrugged, his bottom lip trembling.

"_I just wanted to know if we love Baby," _he signed rapidly. "_Because families love babies, right?" _

"_Yes Tony, families love babies," _Jethro answered, concerned at Tony's obvious discomfort.

"_We'll love Baby when it gets big too, right?" _

"_Yes, Tony. We'll always love Baby, no matter how big it gets." _

"_What about babies whose families don't love them? Is there something wrong with them?" _

Jethro felt his heart sink.

"_Tony, there is nothing wrong with those babies, and there is nothing wrong with you. If their parents don't love them, that is their parents' fault. Do you understand?" _

Tony shrugged, then nodded, scrubbing brusquely at his eyes.

"_Come here, buddy," _Jethro said, pulling Tony close to his side and wrapping his arms around the trembling form. He gently kissed the top of Tony's head, wondering how long Tony had been struggling with these feelings.

"_You are an amazing kid, Tony. If your father didn't get that, it's not your fault. It's his. Okay?" _

Tony nodded against his chest, and Jethro felt a dampness soaking into his shirt. He clutched Tony's sobbing body closer to his chest and stroked his hair, letting his son cry it out, feeling tears prick at his own eyes. The anger he'd felt so often in the early months after getting Tony home rose again, and he had to take deep breaths to calm himself down.

"You're okay, buddy," Jethro whispered, rocking Tony in the chair just as he'd done so long ago when Tony had first come to their home. After a few minutes, Tony's shuddering breaths eased into the smooth rhythm of sleep, and Jethro silently vowed to himself and to Tony that his son would never again feel like he wasn't as good as anyone else.

He didn't realize then just how out of his control that would be.

xxxx

Shannon was hurrying through the house, writing stuff down, gathering stuff together, handing Tony his backpack.

"_Okay, now you're okay with being home by yourself for about an hour after school?"_

"_Yes, Mom," _Tony answered, rolling his eyes.

"_I am so sorry, kiddo. This won't happen again. Mrs. Collins will come in and check on you, and you've got our phone number on the fridge. Send us a text if you need something." _

"_I know, Mom," _Tony said, shaking his head. "_I'm 8 years old. I'll be okay for an hour." _

Shannon smiled, finally pausing in her frenetic movements.

"_I know you will be, sweetie. I'm just worried about you." _

"_Don't be," _Tony signed firmly. _"I'll be fine." _He walked over and gave her a quick kiss, smiling cheekily. "_Have a good day, don't worry about me." _

"_Okay, Tony. Have a great day, sweetheart." _

Tony smiled again as he climbed onto the bus. He was going to have a great day.

After school, Tony took the school bus home and carefully unlocked the door with the house key Shannon had given him. Five minutes after he got home, Mrs. Collins knocked on the door, smiling and waving when she saw he got home safe before returning to her own home.

As soon as she was gone, Tony pulled the map that he had printed up during computer time out of his notebook. It had detailed explanations of bus routes and times, and Tony carefully circled the route he was going to take. Tucking the map back into his backpack along with a water bottle and a granola bar, Tony left the house and locked the door behind him.

He walked a few blocks away, glancing at his watch and making sure that he was on time, then grinned when the bus pulled up. Tony carefully counted out his money and handed it to the driver, pointing to his hearing aid and signing to make sure that the driver understood that he was deaf, then took a seat.

A few stops later, his stop came up. He walked a few blocks away, and came to his destination.

xxxx

Shannon's meeting finally ended a good half hour later than she had expected, and she was on the verge of panic as she hurried to her car. Mrs. Collins had called and told her that Tony got home safely, but she was still worried about him and concerned that she had been gone for so long.

She pulled into the garage and hurried into the house, turning on the hallway light as she went to alert Tony to her presence.

"Tony?" She called, walking into the kitchen. He wasn't there, though his schoolwork was scattered across the table. She checked the bathroom and the living room, trying to tamp down the panic that was starting to rise in her chest. She hurried up the stairs, and felt her worry turn to full blown alarm when she couldn't find him in his room, and tore back downstairs.

It was only on her second time down that she found the note that had been left on the table.

xxxx

The house wasn't as big as Tony remembered it being, but at the same time it was a lot scarier. The gravel crunched under his feet as he walked tentatively toward the front door, gulping when he finally came to stand in front of the vast door. Tony nearly walked away, nearly went home, but he wasn't going to let his fear get the better of him. Not when he'd come this far.

He took a deep breath and reached up to the lion's head knocker.

xxxx

_Dear Mom and Dad, _

_Please don't worry about me. There is something I need to do. I'll be careful, and I'll be back soon. Sorry for going without telling you. _

_Love, Tony. _

xxxx

The door swung open to reveal a butler that Tony had never seen before. He was surprised that Robert wasn't there anymore, but waved tentatively at the man who was there now.

The man spoke, frowning, but Tony only knew how to lip read the easiest of words, and this man was talking too fast anyway. Tony shrugged and pointed to his hearing aid, then cleared his throat. It had been a long time since he had spoken aloud, but he decided that he might as well try now.

"I'm here to see my fa- Mr. DiNozzo," he said slowly, the feel of the words foreign and strange on his tongue. He wasn't sure how he sounded, if he sounded at all like he wanted to, but the butler's face remained impassive and unreadable.

The man said something slowly, but Tony still didn't understand, so he just shrugged again and smiled tentatively. The butler finally made a gesture that Tony interpreted to mean 'stay here,' so Tony nodded and stood in the foyer as the butler walked away. Tony looked around at the massive staircases and the huge paintings and gulped, trying to slow the frantic beating of his heart as he waited for his father.

xxxx

Shannon was almost hysterical when Jethro answered the phone, telling him in a shaky, teary voice that Tony had run away and left a note. Jethro swore loudly, quickly informed his team of what was going on, and took off for home.

"Jethro, I don't know what's going on, I thought he was feeling better about this, I thought that he was feeling secure-"

"Shannon, Shan, you need to calm down, okay?" Jethro said, his own heart thudding painfully quick in his chest. He forced his voice to remain calm. "For the baby's sake, you need to relax. I'm on my way home, and I'm going to find him. Okay? I swear to you, Shan, I will find him."

"Okay, okay, I'm trying to calm down. I'm trying, J, but holy shit, our baby is out there by himself and he's deaf and he can't-"

"Shannon, take a deep breath for me. Okay? Deep breaths. Calm down, I'm almost home. I'm going to be there soon, and I need you to calm down. I _need _you to calm down. Can you do that for me?"

Shannon took a hitching breath, letting it out shakily.

"Okay. Okay. I'm okay. He's okay. Okay."

"There you go," Jethro said. "I'm going to hang up with you, okay? I'm almost home. Give me ten minutes."

"Okay. I love you, J."

"Love you too, Shan," Jethro said, then hung up. He immediately dialed another number, waiting impatiently as it rang.

"McGee? Yeah. I need you to put a BOLO out."

xxxx

Tony was practically ready to pee his pants by the time the butler reappeared. He waved Tony to his side, then started walking up the stairs, looking back every few seconds to make sure Tony was following him. Tony rolled his eyes and wished he could tell the man that he wasn't stupid, and that he could figure out enough to walk up the stairs, so he settled for stomping on every stair. He had no idea if it sounded loud or not, but it was satisfying just the same.

The butler stopped abruptly and Tony barely managed not to run into him. The butler opened a door and gestured inside, then stepped away, looking at Tony expectantly. Tony gulped and took a deep breath, then stepped into the room.

His father was sitting at a large desk, looking at Tony expectantly. He spoke slowly, but Tony still couldn't tell what he was saying and shook his head in frustration. This had been a bad idea. What had he been thinking?

"F-father," he said, trying to sound the blocky words out on his tongue. His mouth felt thick and stuffy, and he was pretty sure he wasn't speaking correctly. Judging by the look his father made, he must have sounded pretty dumb.

"I, uh," Tony mumbled, looking down at the carpet. "Why did you leave me?"

He looked up shyly, expectantly, and felt shame rise in his cheeks at the expression on his father's face. It was one of…disgust.

He said something that Tony didn't understand, then rolled his eyes and pointed first to Tony and then to his ear. Then he made the sign for crazy.

"I'm not crazy!" Tony yelled. "I'm deaf, not crazy."

Tony's father rolled his eyes again and shook his head. He grabbed a pen and wrote on a notepad, then held it up for Tony to read. Tony took a second to read it, carefully putting the letters together. _Dis-a-bled_.

"What's wrong with that?" Tony said, his voice quieter than it had been. "I'm still smart."

Tony's father raised an eyebrow and shook his head, obviously disbelieving.

"I'm your son," Tony said, feeling his temper rising. "Why did you leave me?"

The older man bent down again, writing quickly.

_I couldn't handle a disabled child. I couldn't spend that much time on you. _

Tony felt tears rise to his eyes, and flared his nostrils, inhaling deeply in an attempt to calm himself down.

"Couldn't? Or wouldn't?" He cried, fiercely wiping tears away.

_Both. I didn't have the time. I wasn't willing to make it._

"Do you feel bad? Are you- are you sad that you left me there?"

_No._ _Sorry kid, just business. Life was easier without you._

Tony couldn't help himself from crying this time, sniffling loudly and feeling heat rush to his cheeks as he tried to hold his emotions at bay.

_Weak. _

Reading that word, Tony's sadness suddenly gave way to anger, and he could feel his fists clench and unclench at his sides.

_I think it's time for you to go now._

Tony shook his head. No way in hell. He wasn't going to leave now.

_I said time to go._

Tony's father rose to his feet and walked out from behind the desk. Tony took the opportunity that presented itself and launched himself toward his father, fists flying and hitting anything he could reach.

A sudden backhand to his face abruptly stopped his attack and sent him onto his butt, his head knocking painfully against the edge of the bookshelf.

Tony's father hauled him to unsteady feet and half-pushed, half-carried him down the stairs, shoving him out of the door before slamming it behind him. Tony climbed to his feet and angrily punched the door, screaming for all he was worth. He kept it up until his throat hurt and his knuckles bled before finally breaking down into sobs on the porch, leaning against the door and bawling.

After a few minutes, he climbed painfully to his feet, tasting blood from his split and swollen lip, and walked back to the bus stop. He got onto the bus and rode it back to his house. He stood on the porch, lip trembling from pain and sadness and hurt, then took a deep breath and opened the door.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! Thanks, as always, for the great reviews. This chapter is a bit shorter than usual, but I wanted to get something up for y'all. I'm not sure how quickly the next update will come, but it will definitely feature the arrival of Kelly. Enjoy!

xxxx

"Jethro!" Shannon's cry was surprising and full of alarm.

"What? What's going on?" Jethro demanded, hurrying toward the front door. Shannon was crouched on the floor, her arms wrapped around a small, shaking form. _Tony._

"Tony? What the hell is going on?" Jethro asked, kneeling down next to his wife and son. "Oh, buddy," he murmured as he wrapped his arms around Tony's shivering body. Tony turned and buried his head in Jethro's shoulder, teeth clattering in Jethro's ear. Jethro felt a thrill of anger at the sight of Tony's split lip and bruised cheek, but he forced his anger down and focused on comforting his son.

"He's so cold," Shannon whispered, tears streaming down her face. "What happened?"

"I don't know, Shan, but why don't you go get some clean clothes for Tony and a blanket? I'll get Tony out of these and we'll get him warmed up. Okay? Shannon?"

"Yeah, yeah, I've got it," Shannon said, climbing stiffly to her feet. She hugged Tony again, pressing a kiss to his forehead, then went upstairs.

"Come on, buddy," Jethro said, clutching Tony to his chest and carrying him to the bathroom. Tony was still shivering, cold and damp. Though it hadn't been raining, there had been a heavy mist the whole day, and the temperature outside was frigid. Jethro felt like throwing up as he contemplated how long Tony could have been out there and how severe Tony's injuries could be. His asking Shannon to get clothes for Tony had been two-fold; Tony needed the clothes, and Shannon needed a distraction, especially while Jethro checked Tony for other bruising.

"_You okay?" _Jethro signed as he eased Tony out of the thin jacket he was wearing. Tony nodded feebly, goosebumps popping up on his arms as he shivered. Jethro was relieved when he didn't see any other signs of abuse anywhere on his son's back or torso.

"_Cold," _Tony signed.

"_Yeah, I can see that," _Jethro signed back, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around Tony's shoulders, rubbing briskly at his thin arms. Tony looked up, smiling weakly. The effect was somewhat ruined by the swollen and bleeding lip and the bruised cheekbone.

"_What happened, buddy?" _

Tony looked down, his trembling increasing. Jethro gently eased Tony's pants off, quickly wrapping a second towel around him.

"_Tony," _Jethro signed, tilting Tony's chin up so that they were eye to eye. "_I need to know what happened." _

Tony shook his head, tears leaking down his face.

"_Come on, kiddo," _Jethro signed, sighing in relief when Shannon came into the room with an armful of clothes. Together, they eased a frighteningly pliant Tony into a warm set of pajamas and a hoodie, then Jethro bundled him upstairs, Shannon following close behind.

They took him into their bedroom. There was no way they would leave him alone.

"_Tony? Sweetheart? What happened? Where did you go?" _

At first, as Tony shook his head again, it seemed that he wasn't going to answer, but then he looked up, lower lip trembling.

"_He doesn't love me. He never loved me," _he signed, tears flowing anew. Shannon let out a choked gasp and Jethro swore under his breath.

"_Tony, who doesn't love you? Do you mean your father?" _Jethro signed, his fingers trembling from anger. Tony nodded miserably, then burst out sobbing. Shannon quickly gathered him in a hug and tugged him onto her lap, cradling his shaking form and pressing kisses to his hair.

Jethro watched for a moment then stood and stormed angrily out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down and restrain himself from throwing something across the room. Jethro had felt anger before, had been upset before, but never had it flowed so thickly through his veins, never had his very blood seemed to be consumed with rage.

He was dialing DiNozzo's number before he even realized what he was doing.

"Hello?"

"DiNozzo? What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jethro roared. "It's not enough for you to tell him you don't love him, you have to hit him too? You son of a bitch!"

The man on the other end of the line sighed.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to call."

DiNozzo's irritatingly calm tone only fueled Jethro's anger even more.

"He's just a kid, you bastard, and my son! Of course I'm going to call you!"

"Then say what you want to say, Gibbs. I have other things that need attending to."

Jethro's anger exploded.

"You _fucking _son of a bitch! If you ever, _ever _lay a finger on my son again, I will kill you with my bare hands, do you understand me? Don't you _ever _come near my son again, do you hear me? And you'll be lucky if I don't press charges against you for this, DiNozzo. What would that do to your reputation, huh? Telling everyone that you're a child abuser? "

There was a pause on the other end of the line.

"Look, Gibbs, we both know that Junior is stubborn-"

"Don't," Jethro growled, his voice low. "You don't call him that. Not ever."

"Fine. _Tony_ is stubborn. He trespassed on my property, and he attacked me. I merely defended myself."

"_Defended _yourself? He's 8 years old! He weighs 50 pounds soaking wet!"

"Mr. Gibbs, I assure you that if you attempt to bring charges against me, things will not go well for you. Your parenting might be questioned, Tony might end up in juvie, you could lose your job…"

Jethro had just opened his mouth to answer when Shannon stuck her head into the room.

"Jethro! I know you're pissed as hell, and I am too, but you've got a little boy in there who thinks you're angry at him. I need you- _he _needs you to be there for him. Now."

Jethro nodded, then turned back to the phone.

"Just don't touch him again, you got me?"

"I understand Gibbs, but maybe if you watched your 'son' better, we wouldn't have these issues."

Gibbs snarled and moved to hang up the phone, when DiNozzo spoke again.

"And don't forget, Gibbs, you owe me-"

Jethro hung up the phone and hurled it against the opposite wall, then took a deep breath and headed back towards Tony and Shannon.

Shannon looked up, her expression angry. Tony was slumped in her arms, crying tiredly, breath hitching. It was clear that he hadn't stopped crying since Jethro had last seen him.

"_Hey, hey, it's okay," _Jethro signed, holding his arms out to Tony. Tony shrunk back, biting his lip until it bled. Jethro's heart sank at the thought that his son was afraid of him, and he silently cursed his inability to hold his temper.

"_I'm not mad at you, buddy, and I'm not going to hurt you," _Jethro signed, praying that his son would trust him. Tony didn't move.

"_I promise. Please, Tony. I'm sorry for scaring you. I'm not angry, buddy, I was just scared." _

Tony frowned slightly.

"_Scared?"_ He signed, brow furrowed.

"_Yes. Scared that you were hurt, or lost," _Jethro signed. "_I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I'm sorry, buddy. I didn't mean to frighten you." _

Tony nodded, then slowly reached out and wrapped his arms around Jethro's neck. Jethro wrapped his arms around Tony's slender form, rubbing his son's back as he little boy sobbed.

"I can't believe his father did this," Shannon whispered as Jethro gently rocked Tony. Tony had finally fallen asleep, his breaths starting to even out.

"I know," Jethro said, looking at her over Tony's head, then glanced fondly down at Tony. "He sure is a determined little guy, though. I'm not sure how he got all the way over to that mansion."

"He's clever, J. Like you."

"Yeah, well, let's just hope that next time he'll feel like he can come to us."

Shannon nodded, stroking her hand through Tony's hair. Tony gave a contented sigh and snuggled up closer to Jethro.

"I hope he doesn't get ill," Shannon said, her voice trembling with worry and fatigue.

"Hey," Jethro said, moving a hand from Tony's back to grip one of Shannon's hands. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, why don't we go to bed?"

"Sounds good," Shannon agreed with a tired smile. "I haven't felt this drained in a long time."

"Me neither," Jethro said. Now that the pulsing anger had faded, Jethro felt wiped out in a way he hadn't experienced since those nights spent with Tony in the hospital after he'd gotten so sick.

Twenty minutes later, Jethro and Shannon were both asleep with Tony nestled safely between them.

xxxx

The next morning, Tony had a cough and a runny nose and was running a low-grade fever. It was nothing too serious, nothing more than a cold, but Shannon was on edge and nervous, and they were both exhausted, so Jethro and Shannon were both taking the day off.

Tony probably needed the extra reassurance anyway.

"_Hey buddy," _Jethro said, handing Tony a piece of toast and a glass of chocolate milk. "_How about we watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, huh?" _

Tony nodded eagerly, then sneezed three times in rapid succession. Jethro smiled and handed him a tissue, then flipped on the TV, making sure the closed captions were on. Since learning how to read, Tony's love of television and movies had blossomed. Shannon came in to the living room with a bowl of cereal, and all three of them sat on the couch and watched as the ninja turtles took on the Shredder in an epic battle.

After the show, Shannon collected up the bowls and glasses and went into the kitchen to do the dishes, leaving Tony and Jethro alone together.

"_Dad?" _Tony signed. Jethro nodded, taking in Tony's downcast eyes and slightly flushed cheeks. Whatever he was thinking about, he was worried.

"_What's up, kiddo?"_

"_Will you love me as much as the baby?" _Tony signed, biting his lip anxiously. Jethro gently teased his son's lip out, gently touching its swollen side. He wasn't about to let Tony hurt himself any more.

"_Of course we will, Tony. You are our child, just as much as this baby is." _

"_But you aren't- you aren't my real dad," _Tony signed, looking at Jethro with wide, frightened eyes.

"_Yes I am, Tony. A real dad loves his children. He takes care of them, and he plays with them, and he never, ever hurts them." _

Tony smiled lightly, then frowned again.

"_But I can't hear. The baby will-" _

He was cut off by a gentle cuff to the back of his head, and he looked up, confused, at Jethro.

"_That doesn't matter, Tony. I love you, and I am proud of you just the way you are. Don't you ever think that you're not as good as someone else because of that. Do you understand?" _

Tony nodded, grinning broadly. "_I understand." _

"_Good," _Jethro said, ruffling Tony's hair. "_Now how about we read that book you've been talking about. What was it? Henry Peterson? Hank Perkins?" _

"_No, Harry Potter!" _Tony signed, giggling. His laughter quickly turned into coughing, and Jethro handed him a cup of cough medicine. Tony made a face as he drank the vile liquid, shuddering dramatically as he swallowed. Jethro laughed and cuffed Tony's head a second time, laughing again as Tony clutched at his head before flopping spectacularly onto his back on the couch.

"_You're a little actor, huh?" _Jethro signed, then crouched over and started mercilessly tickling his son's belly. Tony squawked and let out a little howl, writhing under Jethro's tickling fingers.

By the time Shannon got back from cleaning up the kitchen and taking her morning shower, Tony had fallen asleep again, cradled in Jethro's arms.

"How's he doing, J?" Shannon asked softly, stroking Tony's hair back from his warm forehead.

"He's still coughing," Jethro answered, looking fondly at his son. "But he's going to be just fine."


	19. Chapter 19

Tony was as excited to set up the baby's nursery as Jethro had ever seen him. It was going to be their special project, just the two of them, and he was practically bouncing with excitement as they picked out the colors for her room and bought a crib. After banning Shannon from the room and working in absolute secrecy for a week, they were ready to reveal their room to Shannon.

"_Come on, Mom! Close your eyes!" _Tony signed, grinning widely. Shannon closed her eyes and laughed, allowing herself to be pulled up the stairs.

"_Okay, ready?" _Tony signed as Shannon opened her eyes in front of a closed door.

"_As ready as I'll ever be," _she signed back with a smile. Tony flung the door open dramatically, spreading his arms in an unmistakable 'ta-da' motion. Shannon let out a gasp as she took in the room, remembering for a moment when she had done this with Tony's room.

Then she was firmly back in the baby's nursery, taking in the same attention to detail that Jethro tended to give everything he did. The walls were painted a pale green, and a tree had been carefully painted above the crib, complete with little leaves that trailed toward the window as if being swept by the wind. The crib was beautifully carved wood, and the bedding was white with pale pink flowers and little green leaves. A changing station sat in the corner, and a rocking chair stood in the corner. A small stuffed bunny sat on the chair.

Shannon crossed the room and gently picked up the stuffed rabbit. It wasn't Tony's, but it was very similar and had a pink bow tied around its neck.

"_That's for Baby," _Tony said. "_So she can have one like me." _

"_Thank you," _Shannon signed. _"I'm sure she'll like it." _

"_Course she will. It's from me!" _Tony signed, then galloped out of the room. Shannon laughed, shaking her head.

"That is all you," Shannon murmured, nudging Jethro in the side.

"Damn straight," Jethro answered, kissing her lightly. "That's my boy."

xxxx

"_Tony! Come here, sweetie," _Shannon signed, waving Tony's attention away from the cartoon he'd been watching.

"_What? What is it?" _Tony asked, drawing close to Shannon. Shannon grasped his hand and pressed it to her belly, watching as Tony frowned in confusion, then abruptly changed expressions, his eyes widening and his mouth dropping.

"_Is that the baby?" _Tony asked, laughing as the baby kicked again. Shannon nodded, beaming, as Tony giggled. _"Baby likes to move," _he signed, looking up with wide eyes.

"_Yes," _Shannon said, tears glittering in her eyes. _"Baby knows you're going to be a great big brother." _

"_Of course I am," _Tony signed with the hint of mischievousness and orneriness that was so characteristic of him. "_I'm awesome."_

Shannon laughed, shaking her head. _"You're a little terror, that's what you are." _

Tony grinned and gave her a hug, then put his hand on her belly again. The baby kicked as enthusiastically as it ever had, and Shannon smiled. Baby already knew Tony.

xxxx

Tony woke up, his hair askew and his pajamas rumpled, and stumbled out of his room. It was still dark outside, and the clock said it was only 4:30, but something had woken him up. There was something wrong. Scrubbing at his eyes, Tony blundered into his parents' room, eyes widening at the sight that greeted him.

Shannon was sitting on the edge of the bed, her expression one of pain, and Jethro was hurrying around, throwing stuff into a bag, his mouth going a mile a minute.

"_Mom?" _Tony signed, his stomach sinking in concern.

"_I'm okay," _Shannon signed quickly, holding her arms out to him, then dropping them down as she winced in pain again. Tony let out a small cry and flung himself onto the bed, wrapping his arms around Shannon's shoulders. His chin trembled as tears threatened to fall, and he looked absolutely distraught.

"_Hey, buddy, it's okay," _Jethro signed, kneeling down in front of his wife and son. The packed overnight bag was at his feet.

"_What's going on?" _Tony signed, rubbing fiercely at his eyes. Jethro put a hand on Tony's knee.

"_This is normal. Your mom is going to have the baby very soon, Tony. Ducky is coming over to stay with you and I'm taking your mom to the hospital." _

Tony nodded and took a deep breath. _"But she's okay?" _

"_She's okay," _Jethro confirmed. _"Try to go back to sleep after we leave, okay? You can come see the baby in a little while." _

"_Okay," _Tony said, but he looked young and vulnerable and scared. Jethro and Shannon both wrapped their arms around him in a hug, and Jethro instinctively spelled out OK on his palm. The moment was interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

"_Ducky's here," _Jethro signed, looking intently at Tony to make sure that his son was okay with what was going on, and Tony gave him a small reassuring smile. Jethro helped Shannon to her feet as Tony tightly gripped one of her hands, and they made their way awkwardly down the stairs, a clump of people unwilling to let each other go, difficulty walking be damned.

Tony opened the door and Ducky came in, smiling broadly. He said something to Jethro and Shannon, then he and Tony walked them to the car, waving after them as they drove away.

Once they were gone, Ducky turned and carefully signed _hello _to Tony. Tony grinned and returned the side, then ran up the stairs, emerging with his small whiteboard and markers clutched tightly in hand. He'd been given the whiteboard as a gift, and it had proven invaluable for communicating with non-signers.

'How long will this take?' Tony wrote carefully, tongue poked out in concentration.

'It could take a long time,' Ducky wrote back, 'Or it might be fast.'

Tony sighed and flung himself onto the couch.

'I don't get it,' he wrote. 'Why isn't it all the same?'

'Why isn't what the same?'

'Why don't all babies come fast? Or slow?'

Tony watched as Ducky rubbed a hand across his forehead. The older man seemed to be thinking really hard.

'Well, everybody is different, Tony, and babies are too,' Ducky wrote, handing the board back. Tony struggled to read 'everybody' and looked up at Ducky with a frown on his face, pointing to the unknown word.

Ducky gestured to himself, then to Tony, then swept his arms in a gesture that took in the whole room. Tony frowned, then drew a rough picture of many stick figures, looking up to Ducky for confirmation. Ducky grinned and nodded.

'Where do babies come from?' Tony asked after erasing the stick figures. Ducky rubbed his hand across his forehead again, and this time he looked worried.

'Baby is in my mom's tummy,' Tony helpfully explained further. 'How did it get there?'

Ducky blinked and made a weird face.

'It's hard to understand,' Ducky wrote finally. 'It might be better to talk about this with your parents when you're a little older.'

Tony frowned.

'I'm not a little kid anymore,' he wrote. 'You can tell me.'

Ducky laughed when he read what Tony had written and shook his head.

'You are a little kid, Tony, and you need to go to bed. You have school tomorrow, don't you?'

Tony sighed laboriously.

'I won't tell mom and dad if you let me stay home,' Tony wrote carefully. Ducky just laughed when he read it and shook his head no.

Tony took the board back.

'I think I'm sick,' he wrote hopefully. Ducky was laughing harder than Tony had ever seen him before, his face turning a bit red. He finally stopped laughing and lifted his glasses, wiping tears from his eyes.

'Come on, bedtime,' He wrote finally, still chuckling every once in a while. Tony frowned, then nodded, plodding up the stairs with Ducky right behind him. He climbed into bed and smiled as Ducky tucked him in, then watched as the older man closed the door.

Lying in his dark room, the illumination of the clock's bright red numbers the only light in the room, Tony quietly vowed to himself that he wasn't going to fall asleep. He'd show Ducky that he wasn't a kid anymore. He would stay up all night and be too tired to go to school in the morning, and then he'd get to stay home and go see the baby and…

Tony wouldn't realize that he'd fallen asleep until he woke up the next morning.

xxxx

Shannon had never been in labor before, and it was, she was finding, not an entirely enjoyable experience. In fact, as the nurse once again counseled her to 'just breathe' in that annoyingly calm tone, Shannon was pretty sure that she was never having a kid again. In fact, she might never have sex again, just to be on the safe side.

"How you doing, sweetie?" Jethro asked. Shannon shot him a glare, gritting her teeth.

"Oh, I'm awesome," she muttered, then squeezed her eyes shut as another contraction hit.

"You're doing great, Shan," Jethro said quietly, kissing her forehead.

Shannon grunted in response.

"I'm going to make you the best chocolate raspberry cheesecake you've ever had when you get home," Jethro said.

"It'll take more than that, Leroy," Shannon barked, then shook her head, wincing in pain. "I've gotta push."

"Okay, that's good. Do you remember your breathing technique?" The doctor asked, crouching down in front of Shannon's very open and revealing gown. Shannon nodded curtly, then pushed, barely listening as the doctor counted out loud. Instead, she focused on Jethro. He was tapping out the count on her hand, tapping the way Tony had when he'd learned to count.

It grounded her, somehow.

The next few minutes (hours?) passed in a blur, finally punctuated by the unmistakable squalling of a newborn baby.

"It's a girl, Shan," Jethro whispered, tears in his eyes. "She's beautiful."

Shannon gasped as a tiny wriggling mass was placed on her chest, and she instinctively reached up to cradle the baby to her chest.

"Oh, she's gorgeous," she whispered, looking at the red-faced baby. "Hey there, beautiful. I'm your mom, and I'm going to take care of you, baby."

The nurse took the baby back and took her over to the sink to give her a bath.

"Oh, J, we did good," Shannon said softly, wrapping a hand around Jethro's neck as he leaned in to hug her.

"Damn straight," he said, kissing her forehead. "I know you like the name Kelly. What about Joann as a middle name?"

Shannon felt tears prick her eyes. "That's beautiful, Jethro, and my mother will be thrilled."

"I can't wait to introduce her to Tony," Jethro whispered, looking fondly at Kelly as the nurse weighed and measured her.

"I haven't been this happy since we got Tony," Shannon whispered. "Everything seems perfect."

"Everything is perfect," Jethro answered softly.

xxxx

Ducky had started laughing again at the expression on Tony's face when he'd told the little boy that he would be going to see his new sister instead of going to school. By the time they got to the hospital, Tony had practically bounced out of his booster seat and started leaping animatedly as soon as he was unbuckled. Ducky held his hand and led him up to the maternity ward, trying in vain to both calm Tony down and stop his own laughter. As it was, Tony bounded down the hallway, grinning excitedly, and it was all Ducky could do to keep Tony with him.

When they finally reached the door to Shannon's room, Ducky was impressed by Tony's sudden change in demeanor, the almost-reverence that came over him. Tony knocked tentatively, smiling with excitement as he looked to Ducky to tell him when he could go in. As soon as Ducky gave him an affirmative nod, Tony eased the door open and crept quietly into the room.

And stopped dead as soon as he saw Kelly.

The baby was sleeping snugly in Jethro's arm, a tiny bow fixed in her wispy blonde hair. She was red-faced and had round cheeks and full lips. Tony took a step forward and then a step backward, more uncertain than Ducky had ever seen him. Concerned, he moved to step forward, then took a closer look at Tony.

The little boy didn't look angry or confused. He looked smitten.

"_Come here, sweetie," _Shannon signed, smiling from the bed. Tony quickly complied, somehow clambering onto the bed without taking his eyes off of the baby. He snuggled up to Shannon, still staring open-mouthed at Kelly, and wrapped his arms around his mom's neck.

"_What's her name?" _Tony signed reverently.

"_Kelly Joann," _Shannon signed back. Tony repeated the name, fingers moving more slowly than normal, as if he were feeling the name, letting his fingers get used to it.

"_Do you want to hold her?" _Jethro signed. Tony looked hesitant and bit his lip, then nodded slowly. Jethro stood up and eased the baby into Tony's outstretched arms. The baby squirmed a bit, then settled, fuzzy newborn eyes blinking slowly open.

Ducky knew that babies weren't able to focus yet when they were as young as Kelly was, but he would've sworn that the instant she locked eyes with Tony, there was a palpable connection, one that sent shivers down his spine. Jethro seemed similarly affected, watching the exchange with wide eyes. Shannon was tearing up.

Tony and Kelly only had eyes for each other.

After a few minutes, Kelly drifted to sleep with Tony still looking down fondly at her.

"_I'll put her back to bed," _Jethro signed, but Tony shook his head fiercely.

"_No. She's mine," _Tony signed over the baby's back. "_She's my sister. I take care of her." _

Jethro smiled softly, then crouched down next to Tony.

"_I know, buddy, you're going to be the best big brother ever. But right now, Kelly needs to sleep, okay?" _

Tony was silent for a moment before he nodded slowly.

"_Fine. But I take her." _

"_Okay," _Jethro said. He made sure Tony had a good hold on the baby, then lifted his son and daughter into his arms, lowering them gently to the ground. Tony walked carefully over to the baby's bed, Jethro right behind him in case he needed help. Once he got there, Jethro lifted him up and helped him settle Kelly into the bed. Once Kelly was comfortable, Jethro wrapped Tony in a hug.

"_I'm proud of you, Tony," _he signed. Tony smiled.

"_She's pretty, Dad," _Tony signed. "_I can't wait to teach her how to sign, and I'll let her play with my baseball, and we can color together. And when she starts kindergarten, I'll help her with her homework too." _

Jethro smiled and hugged his son, clearly overwhelmed with pride and happiness.

Ducky watched the exchange with a knowing smile, then leant back in his chair and caught up on the sleep he'd missed the previous night.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: So I'd like to thank everyone for the awesome reviews, and take this chance to give y'all fair warning: this story, while AU, will follow some main NCIS plotlines, so be aware that that means some fairly tragic occurrences will be coming in the next few chapters.

xxxx

Shannon paused in her preparation for dinner, smiling as she heard Kelly burst into giggles. Tony had probably done something silly again, made a face at her or tickled her in that one spot that guaranteed a laugh. Tony had proven to be a great big brother, playing with Kelly constantly, and as such, he had quickly discovered what things made her laugh the hardest.

She had just finished and washed her hands when the phone rang. Drying her hands off, she hurried into the living room, smiling as she watched Tony making faces at Kelly, then picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Mrs. Cantrell."

"Oh, hello," Shannon said, surprised. Why was Tony's teacher calling? "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, Mrs. Gibbs? I was wondering if you and your husband would be able to meet with me to discuss Tony sometime this week."

"Oh, uh, sure, that shouldn't be a problem. Mrs. Cantrell, is there something going on that I should be aware of?"

"It's not a problem, Mrs. Gibbs, I just want to talk about Tony's progress and class behavior. Please don't worry about it."

"Okay, how does next Wednesday after school sound?"

"That sounds great. I'll see you then."

Shannon hung up the phone and frowned at it for a moment, then turned back to Tony and Kelly. Kelly was on her back, legs kicking in the air, and Tony was sitting next to her, bending over her to tickle her round tummy. Kelly squealed, laughing loudly, and kicked her legs even harder. Tony grinned, laughing lightly, then tickled her again.

Shannon smiled and stepped closer, resting a gentle hand on Tony's shoulder so as not to startle him.

"_Hey," _Tony signed, turning from Kelly to his mom.

"_Hey. How's she doing?" _

Tony smiled and looked fondly at Kelly. _"She smells bad, but she's cute so it's okay." _

Shannon laughed, shaking her head.

"_You want to change her diaper, buddy?" _

Tony made a face and shook his head, scrambling away from Kelly. Shannon laughed and scooped Kelly into her arms.

"_Fine, I'll do it. Why don't you go get cleaned up for dinner?"_

Tony nodded and ran off towards the bathroom. Shannon shook her head again, unable to hide her amusement at Tony's endless energy, and went to get a diaper for Kelly.

A few minutes later, Jethro arrived home, and Tony ran to the door, signing excitedly.

"_Hey buddy, how was your day?" _

"_Great! Kenny and I played Ninja Turtles on recess and at lunch Natalie told me that Alison has a crush on me!" _

"_Oh, wow," _Jethro signed, shaking his head at his son's continuing romantic adventures. Shannon came into the room and smiled, handing Kelly to Jethro.

"Dinner is ready whenever you are," she said. "And we have an appointment with your son's teacher tomorrow."

"What?" Jethro asked, shifting Kelly in his arms and glancing down at Tony, who was making faces at the baby.

"She said it isn't a big deal, but she wants to talk about 'how he's doing and his behavior.' I'm guessing that Tony's energy may be catching up with her."

Jethro chuckled and nodded. "Sounds about right. Now, how about some dinner?"

xxxx

Jethro slurped loudly at his coffee and tapped his fingers against his chair in a gesture unconsciously similar to Tony's tapping. Shannon nudged him lightly.

"What's wrong with you, J?" She hissed.

"She's late!" Jethro muttered back.

"By five minutes! Just relax, Jethro."

"Fine, Shannon, but this had better be-"

"Hi, I am so sorry. Something came up unexpectedly," Mrs. Cantrell said, hurrying towards them. She smiled and took a deep breath, then nodded toward the classroom, making her hearing aid obvious. "Shall we?"

"Of course," Shannon said, standing and following her into the room. Mrs. Cantrell pulled up a few chairs and sat down across from them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs," she began, but Shannon shook her head.

"Shannon and Jethro, please."

"Right. I wanted to talk to you about Tony. Your son is incredibly bright, and he's picking everything up really quickly."

"Little guy's like a sponge," Jethro agreed, then waited for the teacher to continue.

"Frankly, I think he's getting bored. He has a lot of energy and when he isn't stimulated, he finds other ways to stay entertained."

"Other ways?" Shannon asked, already wincing in anticipation.

"Yesterday he used a paper clip to fling spit wads at his classmates."

Jethro snorted and quickly tried to cover it up with a cough, but he could tell by Shannon's stiff posture that he wasn't fooling anyone.

"Has he done this type of thing before?" Shannon asked, glancing at the teacher.

"Yes," Mrs. Cantrell said with a faint smile. "Honestly, everything he does is done in good humor, and his classmates usually don't mind, but it's disruptive."

"Of course," Shannon said. "Do you have any suggestions on what we can do to help him?"

Mrs. Cantrell smiled. "I do. With your permission, I would like to give him slightly more difficult assignments than I give the other children. It wouldn't be anything drastic, just enough to hopefully get give him that extra challenge that he seems to need."

"That sounds reasonable," Jethro said, looking to Shannon for confirmation. "I think that Tony would respond well to more difficult projects."

"Yeah," Shannon agreed, nodding. "And I totally understand about it being disruptive- Tony's energy is tiresome, to say the least."

Mrs. Cantrell laughed and nodded, then bit her lip.

"I did have one other thought. Now, it's just a suggestion, but I was wondering if you've ever considered putting Tony into sports?"

"We have, but with the nature of Tony's heart condition, our doctor told us that contact sports aren't an option with him," Shannon said, squeezing Jethro's hand as she spoke. As much as they'd grown used to Tony's health problems, it was still unsettling to talk about them.

"What about track?" Mrs. Cantrell asked, leaning forward. "You've mentioned before that being active helps with his arthritis symptoms, right? Running isn't a contact sport, but it might be a good outlet for some of his extra energy."

"That might be a good idea," Shannon said, making eye contact with Jethro.

"I think we should talk it over with Tony's doctor and see if that's a viable option," Jethro agreed. "Although, do they have track teams in elementary school?"

"No, but in 4th and 5th grade, our students do have the opportunity to participate in one district-wide track event a year, and if this ends up being something that will have strong benefits for Tony long-term then we might be able to make an exception for him and get him a spot on our 6th grade team."

"Thank you for that suggestion, Mrs. Cantrell," Shannon said, smiling widely at the thought of Tony tearing down the track. Heaven knew the kid liked to run enough.

"Oh, of course. Tony is a joy to have in class. He can be tiring, but his enthusiasm is contagious."

"Yeah, that's how we feel about him too," Jethro said, then signed "_Thanks again for all of your help with our son. We appreciate your efforts." _

"_It's my pleasure," _Mrs. Cantrell signed back. "_I hope that we can get the best fit possible for Tony." _

"Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?" Shannon asked.

"No, I think we've addressed everything I wanted to talk about," Mrs. Cantrell answered. "Thank you for meeting with me."

"No, thank you," Jethro said with a smile. "We really do appreciate your efforts."

xxxx

As it turned out, Tony took to track like a duck to water. After talking it over with his doctor, who agreed that it might prove to be therapeutic for Tony, the school had allowed Tony to practice with the 6th graders. He'd made friends quickly despite his younger age and smaller size, and also proved to be pretty fast.

The harder assignments also proved beneficial, and Tony was learning rapidly. Kelly, too, was changing every day, growing bigger and smarter. Tony had proven to be a patient teacher, and at 9 months, she was already starting to pick up simple signs.

"_Mom! She signed thank you!" _Tony signed excitedly as Shannon walked into the room. Kelly was sitting next to Tony, and repeated the sign when she saw Tony's reaction. Shannon smiled; Kelly probably didn't even know what she was signing, but entertaining Tony seemed to be reason enough for her to repeat the action.

"_She's a smart baby, huh?" _

Tony gave her a look that clearly said 'duh' and shook his head.

"_She's my little sister. Of course she's smart!" _

Shannon laughed and tickled Tony in the ribs.

"_You're a little stinker," _she signed, watching affectionately as he giggled and squirmed away. Even as a 9 year old, he was just as ticklish as he had been when he'd first come to live with them. And, Shannon noted as she yelped in surprise as Tony's little fingers found her ticklish spot, he was just as good at tickling back.

A few minutes later, with Kelly babbling happily and Shannon and Tony lying on their backs, tired out from their rough-housing, Shannon looked over at her son and smiled broadly.

"_I love you, baby," _she signed, carding her fingers through his hair. He looked up at her with twinkling eyes and grinned lopsidedly.

"_You too,"_ he signed, reaching up an tweaking her nose. "_I'm glad you're my mom." _

Shannon had to turn away so that he wouldn't see her tears.

xxxx

The crime scene, when they got there, wasn't a particularly memorable one. It had the usual pieces; a dead former Marine, shot point blank in the chest, tire treads that were carefully photographed, bullet casings that were carefully bagged, fingerprints that were carefully dusted. From what they could tell, it looked like a drug exchange gone bad, probably one party or the other feeling shafted and retaliating.

All in all, a normal crime scene.

At least, that's what Jethro thought.

It wasn't until later that day, when everything happened at the same time, that he realized it wasn't a normal day.

First, his phone rang.

"Gibbs," he barked, eyes widening at the familiar voice on the other end of the line.

"Gibbs? DiNozzo. You remember that favor you owe me? Well, I'm calling it in."

A minute later, Abby sent him an urgent message.

xxxx

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was a man of integrity. He believed in honor, in loyalty, in doing the right thing. He sure as hell didn't believe in stealing evidence.

DiNozzo's call had been brief, but unexpected.

'_I'm in some trouble, Gibbs, the kind that you can get me out of.'_

"_What kind of trouble would that be?" _

"_I had a little…mishap during a business transaction last night, down by the docks." _

"_This business transaction didn't happen to be a drug exchange, did it?" _

_There was a pause._

"_Whatever it was, it didn't go according to plan. We argued, we both pulled weapons, I shot mine first." _

"_There was only one gun at the scene, DiNozzo. You want to tell me what really happened?" _

_There was another pause. _

"_Look, I'm not going into details. All you need to know is that the evidence against me needs to disappear, capiche?"_

"_Fine. And then we're square, and you have no power over my family, is that clear?" _

"_Clear." _

And then the message had come in, the one that told Gibbs to head down to Abby's lab pronto, because she'd found something.

That something, of course, was DiNozzo's fingerprints.

"I don't know, Gibbs, I mean, I knew he was kind of a bastard, but I wasn't expecting this, not at all," Abby said, her face clearly conveying feelings of both disgust and excitement. "We can get him nailed on this and send him to jail!"

Jethro nodded but didn't say anything.

"Isn't that exciting? Gibbs, this is great! Gibbs?" Abby frowned and looked more closely at Jethro.

"Abby, I need you to listen to me, okay? You can't tell anyone that you found DiNozzo's fingerprints on that crime scene."

Abby's eyes widened, and she frowned, mouth dropping open.

"What the hell are you talking about?" She demanded, her voice more stern than Jethro had ever heard it before. "We finally get a chance to do something about this son of a bitch and you want me to-"

"Abs, please. Just listen."

Abby glared at him but crossed her arms, clearly willing to listen, but not happy about it.

"DiNozzo...he was a bastard when it came to Tony. When he abandoned Tony as soon as he heard he was deaf, I lost my temper. I confronted him, and I punched him."

"He deserved it," Abby grumbled.

"He did," Jethro agreed, "but with his lawyers and with his power, had he chosen to press charges, we would never have gotten custody of Tony. I apologized to him, and he agreed to let us adopt Tony on the condition that I owe him a favor."

"And this is that favor," Abby murmured quietly. "I don't understand, though. If he's convicted of murder because of these fingerprints, he'll be unable to do anything."

"Abby, he has so many connections and he has so much money at his disposal that it's going to take a lot more than a fingerprint to get him convicted. If we try to charge him and he realizes that I didn't do what he asked, he'll take Tony away from us."

Abby nodded solemnly, big eyes brimming with tears.

"We can't let him do that, Gibbs," she whispered, leaning in close to Jethro and burying her face in his shoulder. "I won't tell anyone. I promise. And this evidence is going to get accidentally contaminated."

Jethro smiled wryly at Abby's loyalty even as he cursed himself for his weakness and for having the nerve to ask something so trying of Abby.

"Thanks, Abs," he whispered, rubbing her shoulders. "Thank you."

Tony and Kelly were already in bed when he got home, and Shannon was dozing on the couch, an afghan draped over her.

"Hey baby," Jethro whispered, kissing Shannon lightly on the cheek. Shannon moaned a bit and shifted, smiling blearily in Jethro's direction.

"Hi babe. How was work?"

Jethro swallowed past the lump in his throat and plastered on a smile before he answered.

"Great. Work was great, baby."


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: I didn't have school today, so I went a bit crazy writing. Thanks so much for the reviews for the last chapter!

xxxx

Jethro should have known that his team was too tenacious and determined to just let this case slide.

"Gibbs!" Tim said practically as soon as Jethro walked in the door. "I've got something."

Jethro forced himself to act normally, to keep his face calm.

"What is it, McGee?"

"Well, Abby was too busy to run the tire treads, but I was able to do it instead, and what I found is pretty awesome. The tracks are from an Audi R8, boss."

When Jethro gave no sign of understanding, McGee quickly continued, drawing a picture of a car up.

"R8s are really nice, Boss. Like, _really _nice. There are only 3 registered in the DC area. Guess who one of those people is?"

The picture changed from a car to DiNozzo's face.

"Damn," Jethro muttered.

"I know, that's what I thought too," Tim said, shaking his head at the picture. "If Abby gets his fingerprints, we've got some pretty solid circumstantial evidence against this guy. Do you want me to go bring him in?"

"No," Jethro said, shaking his head. "Thanks Tim, but not yet."

"Not yet? What's going on?"

"Nothing's going on, McGee. Let's just wait on this one a little bit. Where are Kate and Ziva?"

"They're looking into the victim's, Harris's, family and friends, most recent activities."

"Good. I want you to track down whoever Harris's CO before he was discharged and talk to him," Jethro said. McGee didn't move, looking at him quizzically and clearly confused.

"Now, McGee!" Gibbs barked, watching as Tim started and hurried to do as he was asked. Jethro sat down at his own desk and flipped through some papers, trying to look involved. Damn it, with the evidence mounting, it was going to be harder to cover this up. _Damn it._

The phone rang suddenly, startling Jethro out of his brief reverie.

"Gibbs," he muttered, picking up the phone.

"Special Agent Gibbs, this is Sergeant Andrews with Metro," the voice on the other end of the line said. "We've got a woman down here who says she witnessed something at the docks yesterday. Much as I hate to hand her over, it's your case."

Jethro swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I'll send someone over to pick her up right away."

He hung up and directed McGee to go pick the witness up from the police station, then sat at his desk for a minute. This changed things. With a witness, with mounting evidence against him, DiNozzo was going to get flak. There were some lines that Jethro refused to cross, and there was no way in hell he would hurt anyone to get DiNozzo out of his own mistakes.

xxxx

DiNozzo didn't say a word as they clapped handcuffs on him, didn't even look in Gibbs' direction, but there was something hostile in the way he carried himself, something seething and angry and intense, and it was definitely aimed at Jethro.

He dragged DiNozzo into interrogation, treated him like any other suspect, showed him pictures of the body and raked him over the coals, but the businessman didn't flinch, a smug smile on his face as he repeated, again and again, that he wouldn't say a word until his lawyer arrived.

And then, he'd leaned forward in his chair and said something under his breath that neither Gibbs nor the people standing behind the one-way mirror could hear. Jethro had been forced to lean forward to hear what DiNozzo was saying. The other man smiled as he hissed,

"_You'll pay for this, Gibbs. You'll pay." _

xxxx

It was all over the news the next day. A prominent businessman didn't get arrested every day, and certainly not on murder charges, so the story had spread like wildfire.

"J! Are you guys working on the DiNozzo case?" Shannon asked when Jethro walked in the door. Jethro nodded and smiled, hoping it didn't look as fake as it felt.

"Yeah, we got the evidence on him. Pretty great, right?"

"It's amazing! He finally, _finally _got what he deserved," Shannon bubbled, then frowned. "Maybe I shouldn't be this excited about someone's life being ruined, huh? Oh well, I totally am. I am so excited that that son of a bitch is going to jail! And I don't even care!"

Jethro couldn't help but smile at Shannons' declaration and tried to laugh, but he felt nauseated and sick to his stomach and for the first time in a long time, his gut was _screaming _at him.

Things were not okay.

xxxx

Tony jogged around the track, rubbing in irritation at his chest, which was getting an all too familiar tightness. Coach Henry waved him over as he went to jog past, and Tony obliged.

"_Are you okay?" _Henry signed. Tony nodded, but he was panting for air far heavier than he should have been. "_Tony, I need you to be honest with me. If anything is going on, I need to know." _

Tony felt his shoulders droop.

"_My chest feels funny," _he signed, looking down.

"_Okay," _Henry said. _"I'm going to have Anna walk you down to the school, and here's a note to have the secretary call your mom, okay?" _

Tony nodded miserably. He just wanted to be like the other kids, he just wanted to run, but no. His stupid heart had to be all stupid.

"_Hey Tony," _Anna signed, walking up to him. She was a 6th grader, one of the best long distance runners on the team, and she was always really nice to Tony. _"Guess you aren't feeling too good, huh?" _

Tony frowned and nodded again.

"_Come on, buddy, we'll get you down to the school so your mom can come," _she signed, and Tony practically expected her to hold his hand. All of the older girls thought he was adorable, just a cute little kid. They just didn't understand that he was actually a handsome potential boyfriend.

Anna was signing away about something, but Tony didn't really care what she was talking about, too caught up in self pity to feel like being social. That and his heart was pounding uncomfortably heavily, battering up against his ribs in an effort to escape. He mentally berated it, told it to just shut up and beat normally.

"_Tony? Are you okay?" _Anna signed, and Tony was startled to see her crouched down in front of him.

"_Yeah," _Tony signed quickly, but he was starting to think that maybe he wasn't. Dang it, he just wanted to be like everybody else…

"_Let's hurry, okay?" _

Tony nodded, and they walked a little faster across the soccer field toward the school. Tony focused on putting one foot in front of the other and tried not to think about the weird rhythm his heart had going, the strange extra beats that threw themselves into the mix.

He was sitting on a chair in the office before he even knew what was happening, and Anna was signing rapidly at the secretary. The school nurse was squatting in front of him, gripping his wrist tightly.

"_Your mom's on her way," _the secretary signed, shooting Tony a worried look as she spoke.

Tony nodded his thanks and smiled weakly.

The nurse wrapped a blanket around his shoulders that Tony gripped with shaking, pale fingers. Suddenly he didn't care about impressing girls or being like the other kids; he just wanted his mom and dad, and he wanted to go home.

xxxx

"Shannon? It's Nancy, from Tony's school."

"Hi," Shannon answered, slightly out of breath. She'd been checking on a patient when she'd gotten an urgent page and had consequently rushed to the nurse's station.

"Tony's having some trouble, Mrs. Gibbs, and you need to get here right away to pick him up."

Shannon felt her heart sink. It had been a good year since Tony had last had an intense flare-up.

"Joint trouble or heart trouble?"

There was a slight hesitation that told Shannon everything she needed to know.

"Heart trouble."

Shannon swore under her breath, then nodded and took a deep breath.

"Okay. Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can," Shannon said, already starting to go through a checklist in her head of what she would need to do to get out of the hospital as quickly as possible.

"I'll let you know if we need to call an ambulance," Nancy said, and Shannon felt her breath catch for a second.

"O-of course," she said finally. "Thank you."

She hung up and took a second, lifting a trembling hand to her forehead and trying to breathe normally.

"Shannon? Are you okay?" Lily, the charge nurse, was looking at her with concern.

"I'm- I'm fine, but I need to leave, right now. Tony's having a cardiac episode."

Lily's eyes widened, and she nodded in understanding. "I'll let Marcie know you're off, and I'll get someone to cover for you."

"Thank you, so much," Shannon said, standing straight and taking a deep breath. "I probably won't be able to make it in tomorrow, but I'll call if that isn't the case."

"Sounds good. Be safe, Shannon, and I'll keep Tony in my prayers."

"Thanks," Shannon said, then hurried upstairs to the daycare.

"Oh, hi Shannon," Jamie said when she walked in.

"Hey there, Jamie. I need to pick Kelly up," Shannon said without preamble.

"Now? You're three hours early," Jamie said, frowning.

"I know, but it's an emergency."

"She's napping right now, let me go get her," Jamie said. "Just a minute."

She hurried away, and Shannon took a second to blink back the tears that were threatening. Damn it, she was a nurse. She knew Tony's health problems, she knew that this could happen, and she was still panicking. Then again, she was also a mother.

"Here you go, sweetheart," Jamie murmured, coming back with Kelly and shifting the sleeping baby into Shannon's arms and handing her the diaper bag. "I hope everything is okay."

"Me too. Thanks, Jamie," Shannon said, then hurried out of the room, holding Kelly tight to her chest as she rushed outside.

"Sorry baby, sorry," she whispered as Kelly startled awake and started screaming as Shannon buckled her into her car seat. She tucked Kelly's bunny next to her and popped a pacifier in her mouth, then climbed into the front seat, trying to keep her hands from shaking.

"Come on, Shannon. You can do this. You have to do this." With another deep breath, she put her key in the ignition and fired up the engine, driving quickly out of the parking lot. She dialed Jethro's number, praying for him to pick up and swearing when he didn't.

Tony was okay. They hadn't called an ambulance, he was fine. Damn it, he was fine.

She tried calling again and nearly flung the phone away in frustration when no one picked up, finally bursting into tears as Kelly continued to scream in the backseat.

Tony was fine. He had to be.

xxxx

The DiNozzo case was spiraling out of control. In the weeks since he'd been arrested, they'd uncovered that Harris was involved in a massive drug ring, and that the drug ring had intimate ties with DiNozzo's business. Apparently, Harris and DiNozzo had essentially been in quite the business relationship, with Harris running the drug side of things and DiNozzo building up a massive business based mostly on drug money.

There had been increasing disagreements on both Harris' and DiNozzo's sides, and it had all boiled over in a moment of drunken stupidity on the docks that night, sealing both their fates.

Jethro was relieved and elated that there was absolutely no chance of DiNozzo getting out of this one, but he was concerned that the man's reach could extend beyond even prison walls, and that his family was still in danger.

"Gibbs? Are you listening?" Jenny demanded, looking intently at Jethro.

"Yes," he answered automatically, though he had no idea what she'd just said. Jenny had called a meeting to discuss some of the more important nuances of the case, but in truth, Jethro hadn't been listening to anything she said.

"Good. I expect a report on my desk in the morning."

"It'll be there," Jethro said, standing.

"Gibbs! Boss! You need to call Shannon," Kate said as soon as he walked into the bullpen.

"What?"

"She called here, almost hysterical, Gibbs, said she'd tried your cell phone but didn't get an answer. I think it's Tony."

Jethro swore under his breath and flicked open his cell phone. Sure enough, six missed calls. Jethro swore again and quickly dialed Shannon's number.

"Jethro, oh thank God, I just picked Tony up from school, and I'm taking him to the emergency room. Kelly's hungry and Tony's getting worse, and I'm worried about him, and I need you J, I really, really need you right now. Please, hurry!"

Jethro winced at Shannon's obvious panic and felt his own heart rate pick up.

"Shannon, where are you right now?"

"I'm five minutes away from urgent care," Shannon answered, clearly trying to calm herself down.

"Okay, I'm leaving right now," Jethro said, grabbing his keys and backpack as he spoke.

"Okay, see you soon," Shannon said, her voice less shaky now than before.

"Be careful, baby, and I'll be there as quick as I can."

"Gibbs, where are you-"

"It's Tony. I've gotta go. Let Jenny know, will you?"

"Of course," Kate said, watching him as he hurried out of the bullpen.

xxxx

Shannon almost ran into the school, Kelly in her arms, and tore into the office. Tony was sitting on one of the chairs, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, breathing heavily and whimpering slightly with every exhale.

"Oh, baby," Shannon whispered. She handed Kelly to the nurse, then knelt down in front of her son. Tony looked up with a quivering bottom lip and tears in his eyes. Shannon reached out to card her hand through his hair when he let out a wordless cry and flung himself, sobbing, into her arms. Shannon wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his hitching back in circles and murmuring reassurances that only she could hear.

"Could you bring Kelly to the car?" She asked as she stood, Tony clinging to her like a monkey.

"Of course," the nurse answered, following Shannon and Tony out to the car. Shannon gently sat Tony down into the passenger seat, his skinny legs dangling out of the car. His hand was firmly wrapped in her shirt.

"_Tony, I need to go put Kelly in the car," _Shannon signed, feeling tears well in her own eyes as Tony whimpered but slowly nodded his head. _"Good boy." _

She hurried around the car, taking Kelly and settling her gently in the back seat.

"Be good, baby," she whispered, once again popping the pacifier in her mouth and kissing her gently on the forehead. "I love you."

She shut the door and hurried back around to the passenger side of the car.

"_You get to ride up front today, baby," _she signed, smiling wanly. "_Isn't that exciting?" _

Tony nodded, trying to smile but failing miserably. Shannon pressed a palm to his cheek and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"_Okay, baby. We'll get you help soon." _

"_Thank you," _Tony signed, and Shannon felt her heart break even more at her son's simple gratitude. She buckled him up and shut the door, then climbed in and peeled out of the parking lot.

It was the worst drive of her life.

She couldn't reassure her son, couldn't speak to him, couldn't hear him. All she wanted was to sit with him tucked in her lap and kiss his ears and cheeks and let him know that he wasn't alone. Instead, she sent him worried looks and occasionally gripped his leg and listened to his labored breathing.

"You're okay, baby, you're okay," she muttered in an effort to calm herself. It was working for a minute until Kelly started screaming again and then Tony slumped over a little more, tears streaming down his cheeks, and for a minute, Shannon felt a pure panic that she'd never experienced before. Sheer, overwhelming fear that her son was going to die and that it would be her fault for not getting him there in time.

Her phone rang suddenly, scaring her half to death. Tony looked up lethargically as she answered the phone with trembling hands.

"Jethro!" She all but wailed, and then she was babbling about what was happening. Before she even knew what was going on, she was hanging up the phone with Jethro's reassurance that he would be there soon.

"Daddy's coming," she whispered, squeezing Tony's cool hand. "Hang in there, buddy."

Tony clutched the blanket closer and leaned his head against the window.

"Kelly, sweetie, it's okay honey. You're okay," Shannon said, hoping her baby would get some comfort from her voice. "Tony's going to be okay too, baby."

Kelly's cries subsided, and Shannon shook her head. "Should've known you were just worried about him, honey. I am too."

And then they were there. Tony was crying softly, slumped over in exhaustion, the blanket slipping from his shoulders. Shannon pulled Kelly's car seat out, then hurried around and tucked Tony onto her hip. He tiredly laid his head down on Shannon's shoulder, letting out a tiny contented sigh.

"Please, my son needs help," Shannon called, hurrying into the waiting room. A nurse hurried over with a wheelchair, and Shannon gently set him down, then took Kelly out of the car seat and followed them back.

"He's deaf," she explained as one of the nurses bent down to try to talk to him. Tony was looking very close to a complete breakdown, lips trembling. Kelly started screaming.

"We have an interpreter here, ma'am," a nurse said. "He was just down here for another patient. I need you to leave and let us take care of you son."

"Please, he needs-"

"Now, ma'am. Take care of your baby and let us take care of your son."

Shannon nodded and walked out of the room, trying to hold in her tears. She collapsed into a chair in the waiting room and sobbed even as she prepared a bottle for Kelly.

"You're okay, baby," she soothed through her tears, trying to relax the sobbing baby. Kelly was so tired that her cries had subsided into hiccups. "I know, sweetie, I know," she murmured, tucking Kelly close to her side and then giving her the bottle. She leant her head back as Kelly started drinking, and let the tears roll down her cheeks.

"Shannon!"

Shannon looked up and smiled tiredly at her husband.

"How is he?"

Shannon shrugged, not trusting herself to speak, and instead focused on Kelly, who was sucking contentedly at the bottle.

"Shannon?" Jethro whispered, sitting next to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"He'll be okay," she whispered, leaning into his hold. "But it looked pretty bad."

Jethro squeezed her shoulder tightly, and together they waited.

xxxx

It turned out that it wasn't as bad as it could've been. Tony had suffered a period of severe arrhythmia that had led to respiratory distress, but with medication and oxygen, he recovered pretty quickly.

Still, they wanted him to stay overnight to be on the safe side, a decision that Jethro and Shannon totally agreed with, and Tony adamantly hated.

"_I don't want to stay here. I want to go home," _he signed after he was settled in his room.

"_I know, kiddo, but we need to make sure you're okay," _Jethro signed back. Shannon had taken Kelly back home and would be swapping out with Jethro in a few hours.

Tony crossed his arms and laid back against the pillows, glaring up at the ceiling.

"_I want to be like everyone else," _he signed finally. Jethro frowned.

"_What do you mean?" _

Tony's lower lip started trembling as he signed. "_I can't hear like everybody else, and my stupid heart doesn't work right either_. _Why can't I just be normal?" _

Jethro looked at his son, valiantly trying not to cry and looking overwhelmed in the hospital gown and bed, and felt both his heart melt and a little spike of fear at the thought of something happening him.

"_Tony, I know that it seems like this isn't fair, and maybe it isn't. But not hearing doesn't change you, does it? You're still the most awesome kid I know, and you can sign like a pro." _

Tony smiled a little bit, but he still looked sad.

"_And I know your heart doesn't work exactly like it should, but you have the biggest heart ever. You're a great big brother and you're super smart and you're really fast." _

Tony nodded and smiled.

"_Thanks, Dad." _

"_Just calling it like I see it," _Jethro answered.

Tony smiled again, then drifted slowly off to sleep. Jethro watched him sleep, then gently settled his hand over Tony's heart, letting the ever so slightly irregular beat soothe him. Tt wasn't long before he too fell asleep, his hand still resting on Tony's chest.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: I want to thank you all SO much for sticking with me for so long and for continuing to review. This is by far the longest thing I've ever written, and your continued interest is encouraging and heartening. And I will once again warn you: rocky times are ahead for the Gibbs family.

xxxx

Jethro walked quietly down the dark stairs, wincing and biting back a curse when his toe came in contact with something hard and unforgiving. He finally made it to the kitchen without any further injury and shuffled to the refrigerator, pulling a bottle of 7-Up out. He poured himself a glass and downed it, pressing a hand to his stomach and wincing lightly, kneading at the pain growing in his gut.

He had just poured his second cup when a clattering sound startled him, nearly causing him to drop his glass. Immediately, he set it down and moved back toward the counter, pulling a knife from the drawer. He crouched down between the island and the counter, waiting for whoever it was to come closer, and felt simultaneously silly, relieved, and concerned when Tony padded silently to the fridge.

Gently, so as not to startle his son, he stood up put the knife away, then slowly approached the fridge. Tony looked up, seemingly nonplussed, and grinned at Jethro.

"_What are you doing up, buddy?" _Jethro signed, glad for the moonlight and the light from the fridge that offered enough illumination to see one another.

"_What are you doing up?" _Tony countered, grinning mischievously.

"_Getting a drink," _Jethro answered, holding up his glass. _"Your turn." _

Tony held up the gallon of milk he'd pulled from the fridge, then shrugged.

"_Same thing." _

Jethro nodded, grinning, and handed Tony a glass. Tony carefully poured himself a glass, then downed the whole thing in one gulp. _Like father, like son, _Jethro thought with a smile.

"_You nervous about the play?" _Jethro asked, carefully watching his son's reaction.

Tony looked down at the floor, scuffing at the tile with his bare foot. His cup of milk was clutched in one hand.

"_A little," _he signed finally. Jethro allowed himself a small smile at his son's anxiety. Tony had gotten the lead in his class's play, an interpretation of the book 'Swimmy,' and while he'd been practicing his part non-stop for the past few weeks and had all his lines memorized, he was extremely nervous.

"_You're going to do great, buddy," _Jethro signed, smiling reassuringly. Tony looked less than convinced. _"And I'm going to be right there, cheering you on." _

"_You're coming?" _Tony signed, a tentative smile spreading across his face.

"_Of course I am," _Jethro signed back.

"_What about work?" _Tony asked, ducking his head. Jethro felt a long familiar pang as he was once again reminded that even after all this time, Tony still had moments of intense uncertainty.

"_Tony, work is not more important than you. Work will never be more important than you." _

Tony grinned and stuck his glass in the sink, then hugged Jethro around the waist.

"_Thanks, Dad. See you in the morning." _

"_Sleep well, kiddo." _

xxxx

Tony was dressed all in black, waiting nervously as the parents started to arrive. He had the fish that he'd carefully decorated draped around his neck with yarn, and he couldn't help playing with it, fiddling with the button he'd glued on for the eye and brushing glitter onto the floor.

"_Tony, it's almost time," _Mrs. Cantrell signed, giving him a reassuring smile. Tony smiled back, but his stomach was sinking. His mom and dad hadn't come yet. Biting his lip, Tony played with his fish again, fidgeting uncomfortably and trying to stay calm. Of course they would come. Dad had promised.

"_Tony, we're starting," _Mrs. Cantrell signed. Tony nodded miserably and headed to the front of the classroom. He sat down in front of the elaborate backdrop they'd painted, teeming with fish and jellyfish and seaweed. The other children were dressed in red, paper fishes around their necks.

Tony watched disinterestedly as his classmates signed their lines, woodenly saying his own when his turn came. Mostly, he just stared at the door, praying for his mom or his dad to walk into the classroom, hurriedly signing their apologies and explaining that Kelly unexpectedly had a diaper blowout. Instead, the play came and went, and while he performed perfectly, he didn't even realize that he had.

"_Great job, Tony! You did so well today," _Mrs. Cantrell said, smiling broadly at him. He nodded and looked down at the floor, trying to hide the tears that were welling in his eyes. School would be over in only a few minutes and everyone else would be going home with their parents, but Tony's parents still hadn't come.

Mrs. Cantrell gently tilted his head up. _"Are you okay, Tony?" _

Tony nodded, but the tears that he'd been trying so hard to hide made a traitorous appearance, finally spilling over and flooding down his cheeks. He could feel his lower lip trembling and stubbornly bit it, determined not to show any more weakness. Mrs. Cantrell reached out and drew him in for a hug. Initially, he pulled away, but he soon let himself sink into the hug, trembling with sobs.

"_Tony, I'm sure that your parents wanted to be here really badly. Something probably came up that they couldn't stop." _

Tony nodded, but inwardly, he was anything but reassured. His parents could have been hurt in a car accident, or Kelly could have something seriously wrong with her. Or, and this idea kind of scared him the most, they had just grown tired of him. After all, he was sick and weak, not to mention deaf. Who wouldn't get tired of him eventually?

By the time everyone else had gone and he was left sitting alone with Mrs. Cantrell, Tony had resigned himself to being left behind again, too dejected and tired to even cry again. Instead, he sat against the wall, knees drawn up to his chest, his head buried somewhere in his legs. Mrs. Cantrell was trying to soothe him, rubbing his back and tapping her foot nervously. She had been on the phone with someone when Tony had last looked up.

Tony wondered what would happen now. Maybe, since he didn't have a home anymore, the police would come and lock him up in jail. Or maybe he would be taken to one of those orphanages like the one in _Meet the Robinsons _and he would see hundreds of families like Lewis did and never get picked. Could someone go through life without ever having a family? People did that, right? Of course they did. He could too.

He didn't want to, though. He wanted to go home and play with Kelly and help Mommy cook and tickle Daddy in that spot under his ribs that made him squirm.

Tony wasn't sure how much time had passed when he suddenly felt warm arms wrap themselves around him. He struggled for a second then fell limp, afraid to open his eyes and see the policeman who had come to take him away. But then the arms tightened around him and lifted him up, cradled him, and Tony cracked his eyes open letting out a sob when he saw his mom. He threw his arms around her neck and buried his face in her neck and bawled.

Mom, for her part, rubbed his back and kissed his hair, and Tony thought that he maybe felt something wet trickling down his forehead, something like her tears. Tony lifted his head slightly when he felt himself moving and watched as the car loomed closer. Mom snaked a hand into the backseat and pulled out his car seat, settling it in the front. Tony's eyes widened as Mom helped buckle him in.

"_I can't sit up here," _Tony signed urgently. Mom smiled.

"_Today, you can, baby. I am so, so sorry." _

Tony shrugged, slightly uncomfortable. He wanted to tell her that he hadn't minded, that he hadn't even noticed, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"_Sweetheart, your dad is in the hospital,"_ Mom signed. Tony felt his stomach sink and felt like he was going to vomit. He clapped a hand over his mouth, relieved when Mom moved out of the way so he could puke outside the car if he had to.

"_He's okay, Tony, it wasn't a big deal," _Mom added quickly. "_Do you know what an appendix is?" _

Tony shook his head, frowning at the word Mom had just spelled.

"_It's a little part inside your tummy, and sometimes it can make people sick. So the doctor went in and took it out of your dad, and now he's doing great." _

Tony nodded solemnly, fighting back the tears that threatened at the thought of his Dad being sick enough for the hospital. Even if he was doing great now.

"_He really wanted to come to your play, Tony," _Mom signed, and she looked really sad. "_We both did. I am so sorry for missing it." _

"_It's okay," _Tony signed, and he meant it. They hadn't forgotten about him and they hadn't abandoned him. "_Where's Kelly?" _

"_She's staying with Grandpa Jack until we get back to the hospital." _

Tony smiled, fingering the paper fish.

"_Do you think Dad would like to see my part?" _He signed, ducking his head. The thought was a little intimidating, to be honest. It was one thing to be a member of a play and another to be the whole play.

"_I think he would love that, sweetie. I would too," _Mom signed. She leant forward and gave him a hug and a kiss, then shut the door and climbed around to her side, resting a hand on his knee as she pulled out of the parking lot.

Yeah, he was okay.

xxxx

Jethro could tell that Tony had been unsettled by the day's events as soon as Shannon walked into the room, Tony gripping her hand tightly.

"_Hey kiddo," _Jethro signed, even as he looked up at Shannon questioningly.

"As far as Mrs. Cantrell can figure, he thought we'd abandoned him," she said quietly, and Jethro felt his heart sink.

"_Come here, kiddo," _he signed. Tony scooted forward hesitantly, taking in the IV and the hospital gown with wide eyes. His lower lip started trembling in that now familiar sign that tears were imminent.

"_I'm okay. I'm doing great, buddy. Come here," _Gibbs soothed, reaching his hands out toward Tony. Tony drew closer and finally climbed up into the bed, cautiously avoiding touching Jethro.

"That's not gonna cut it," Jethro growled lightly, then pulled Tony closer to him, wincing as it tugged at the incision site in his belly. Tony seemed terrified that he was going to hurt him.

"_I'm not gonna break, kid," _Jethro signed, smiling at Tony. Tony nodded, blinking rapidly as he tried not to cry.

"_I'm sorry I missed your play," _Jethro said, lightly kissing Tony's head. "_I bet you were amazing." _

Tony nodded and then burst into tears. Jethro looked a bit perplexed, rubbing his hand across Tony's back. He looked up at Shannon.

"He did that when I got him from school, too," she whispered. "I think this has just been a tough day for him. Poor little guy."

Jethro nodded and continued soothing his son until he calmed down a bit.

"_What's that all about, buddy? Are you okay?" _

Tony nodded. "_You weren't there," _he signed, bottom lip still trembling. "_I was scared. And now you're in the hospital." _

"_Hey, hey," _Jethro signed. "_Mommy was in the hospital when she had Kelly. You've been in the hospital before, and we're all okay. I'm okay too, kiddo." _

Tony shook his head stubbornly. "_Not you," _he said.

Understanding dawned on Jethro. Tony, like most children, viewed his father as superhuman, as indestructible. This had brutally shattered that perception.

"_I'm sorry, Tony," _Jethro signed, looking Tony in the eye. _"But I'm going to get better and get out of here, and we're going to go play some catch. Okay?" _

Tony smiled and impatiently wiped away the few errant tears that remained on his cheeks. Jethro couldn't help but notice how damn cute he looked with his black leggings and shirt, the paper fish he'd been so proud of still hanging from his neck.

"_Do you want to see my part?" _Tony signed shyly. Jethro grinned.

"_Of course I would." _

xxxx

The rest of the year absolutely flew by, and practically before they knew what was going on, one school year had faded into the next, and next thing they knew, Christmas was upon them.

Nestled against Jethro, Shannon smiled as she watched Kelly and Tony play. The one year old had gotten a toy that had pictures of animals that, when pressed, would light up and make the appropriate animal sound. Tony, even though he couldn't hear, seemed to get as much enjoyment out of watching Kelly giggle as if he could have heard it.

"I can't believe how grown up he's getting," Shannon whispered, toying with the collar on Jethro's shirt. "And he's so good with Kelly."

"Yeah," Jethro answered, pressing a kiss to Shannon's head. "Watching him with Kelly is pretty amazing. He's stayed devoted to her even through her teething phase."

Shannon laughed and nodded. "And he's so good with her now, even though we have to watch her like a hawk."

"She does get into everything," Jethro agreed, watching as Kelly struggled to her feet and wobbled towards the Christmas tree. Tony followed close behind, then gently grabbed Kelly's hand when she reached out for one of the ornaments. When she protested, trying to squirm out of his grasp, he picked her up and held her, pointing out ornaments to her one by one. Kelly watched in rapt attention.

"Damn, the boy's going to attract women by the bushel if they ever see him with her," Jethro commented, smiling as Tony set Kelly back down on the floor and pretended to let her chase him.

"He already does," Shannon laughed, shaking her head. She let out a sigh and tucked herself even further into Jethro's side. "I love you, J."

"I know, Shan," Jethro said with a grin, rubbing her shoulder. "I love you too."

They watched contently as Kelly and Tony continued playing, until Kelly started yawning. Within ten minutes, they were both sleeping, Kelly with her bum in the air and a thumb in her mouth, Tony right next to her with Bunny tucked under his arm.

"I should probably start packing, babe," Shannon whispered, kissing Jethro's neck. "It's a long drive tomorrow, I want to get an early start."

"It can wait," Jethro whispered, kissing her neck.

"I'm not sure it can," Shannon whispered back. Shannon's mother had taken a bad fall and had been unable to come down to spend Christmas with them, so Shannon and the kids were going up the next day. Jethro had to work and would be joining them a few days later.

"Oh, it can," Jethro said quietly, twirling a finger through Shannon's hair. "Let's put the kids to bed and go spend some quality time in the bedroom, huh?"

Shannon laughed, allowing herself to be drawn into a kiss, and shook her head.

"You are incorrigible, Jethro," she whispered. "I'll get Kelly."

Jethro grinned and thrust a fist into the air. "I've got Tony."

xxxx

Jethro sighed as he found himself reading the same report for a third time. He'd kissed Shannon and the kids goodbye in the morning, then headed directly into work, and he'd been distracted all day. He was staying late at the office; Work just wasn't the same when you knew that your family wasn't waiting for you when you got home.

He'd started reading the report for the fourth time when his phone rang.

"Gibbs," he said, feeling his face drain as Shannon's mother's voice rang out over the phone.

"Jethro? Shannon hasn't gotten here yet. I thought she might just be running late, but I haven't heard anything from them. I don't want to panic you, but I'm worried."

Jethro listened numbly as his mother-in-law spoke, feeling his gut churn. He was trying to tell himself that everything was fine, that they were just running late, that Shannon's cell battery had died, but it wasn't working- another thought kept running through his head, dominating his racing thoughts:_ DiNozzo. _


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: First of all, I want to warn everyone: this chapter has some emotionally difficult scenes, and it's fairly graphic in parts. I was almost in tears writing it. Please proceed with caution, though I suspect many of you know what's coming. Secondly, I know that this chapter is really long, but this was actually the first scene I saw in my head when I started writing this, and the story has been building up to it for awhile. Lastly, thank you once again for all of the amazing reviews.

xxxx

Jethro had to take a minute to compose himself after Joann spoke, trying to quell the panic that was churning in his gut. They were fine, they were just running late. He just had to keep telling himself that.

"Okay, Joann? I want you to try to calm down, okay? Try to relax, and give me a call if they show up. I'm going to get some people looking on my end, and we're going to find them, okay? I promise you, Joann, we will find Shannon and the kids."

"O-okay," Joann sniffled. "I'll keep trying her cell."

"Good. I'll call you as soon as I know anything."

He snapped the phone shut and quickly dialed another number.

"McGee, I need you to come in. Let the others know too. Yeah. Thanks."

He snapped the phone shut and got to work on a BOLO, forcing himself to try and forget that it was _his _car he was describing.

Kate was the first one to arrive, and it was evidence of how distraught he was that he didn't hear her until she was almost on top of him. McGee and ZIva came in right on her heels.

"Gibbs?" Ziva said quietly. Jethro looked up from his shaking hands. His whole team was staring at him in concern. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"Shannon and the kids didn't make it to Joann's," he said, forcing his voice to remain calm. "I put a BOLO out. McGee you need to track Shannon's cell phone and then we're going after them."

"O-of course," Tim stuttered, looking slightly shocked. "On it, Boss."

"Have you told Ducky?" Kate asked quietly. Jethro shook his head.

"I'll call him," Kate said.

"I will call your father, if you want me to," Ziva said. Jethro nodded numbly, hardly aware of what his team members were saying.

"Got it, Boss," McGee said suddenly. "The signal is coming from south of Hartford."

Jethro nodded and grabbed his coat.

"Ziva, contact rescue and let them know where we're going. Let's go, guys," Jethro barked, heading out towards the car. He moved to open the driver's door and was surprised when Kate put a hand on his wrist.

"Gibbs, you aren't driving," she said quietly.

Jethro glared at her, anger and fear bubbling up, but Kate spoke again before he even opened his mouth.

"You aren't focused, Boss. You're no good to your family- _we're _no good to your family if we get in an accident on the way there."

"Fine," Jethro barked, circling around the car. "But you had better drive fast, Todd."

"Like a bat out of hell, Boss," Kate answered,

xxxx

It was snowing like hell. Tim was giving him directions from his phone, yet another technological wonder that Gibbs couldn't comprehend, but was sure as hell grateful for. Kate, true to her word, was tearing up the road, but Jethro was too distracted to really give it much notice. He was trying to keep himself focused, keep telling himself that it was just another case, just another faceless family that needed help-

But it wasn't. it was his family. It was his wife, and his daughter, and his son. And they were in danger.

"Getting close, Boss," McGee said suddenly. "Another 3.5 miles."

Jethro didn't answer, just nodded curtly and took a deep breath.

They were okay. They were fine. He would get there and his family would be cold and scared, but okay.

"It's close, Gibbs," Tim said. "Should be right here."

Kate stopped the car and everyone got out quickly, flashlights and guns drawn. They were on a patch of road that had a sharp shoulder that led directly to a steep bank, and the road curved sharply as it continued northward.

Jethro felt his gut start churning. It wouldn't be difficult to imagine a car losing control and flying right off the side of the road and down the embankment.

"Boss, there are some tire treads over here," Ziva said. Jethro swore under his breath. They'd been in an accident.

"Looks like they went over the side, Boss," McGee said quietly, peering into the darkness but seeing nothing.

"Okay, Kate, check out the area, see if there's any evidence of another car. Ziva, get an ambulance and rescue out here. McGee, with me."

Tim nodded as Kate and Ziva hurried off to do their tasks, then looked down the embankment again.

"I think it's shallowest right over there," he said, pointing with his flashlight. Jethro nodded and headed over, not even hesitating before he started down the sleep, slick hillside. It was still snowing fairly heavily and Jethro shoved back thoughts of _hypothermia _and _frostbite _and _death_ and just focused on getting down the hill. McGee was making slow, labored progress to his right, swearing lightly and breathing heavily.

They got to the bottom in relatively good time and immediately started looking for the car. It took only moments to find it.

Jethro broke into a run, an indescribable fear and panic washing over him at the utter stillness of the car-

"No," he whispered, falling to his knees in front of the car, the cracked windshield that looked like a spider web, the blood-

"No," he said again, then he screamed it, screamed until his throat grew raw and his yells morphed into a wordless cry, one that sounded like anguish and heartbreak and utter devastation.

xxxx

Tony wasn't sure how long they'd been driving, but it felt like forever. He'd watched _Finding Nemo_ and _Monsters, Inc. _with Kelly, and he'd played with his Etch-a-Sketch, but he was getting bored. Kelly was sleeping and Mom was driving, so he didn't really have anyone to talk to or play with. Finally, he resorted to kicking his legs back and forth against the passenger seat in front of him. He was big enough to be out of his car seat, finally, but it also meant that he no longer had the lap bar to tap on. So he kicked.

After a few minutes of that, his mom shook her head at him, smiling in the rearview, and one-handedly signaling Tony to stop. Tony complied.

"_How much longer?" _He signed, putting as much pout as he could into his expression. Mom just laughed at him and shook her head.

"_A few hours," _she signed. "_Watch a movie." _

Tony frowned and crossed his arms, at first refusing to do as his mom had suggested, but finally giving in and leaning over to pick a movie. He held _Over the Hedge _up to Kelly for her opinion and frowned when she continued to sleep, pacifier starting to slip from her mouth. Tony gently eased the binky out of her mouth and set it on the seat next to her, then went back to the movies. Eventually, he settled on the tried and true _How to train Your Dragon._

He was asleep before Hiccup even met Toothless.

He was awakened when the car jerked sharply to the right, and he might have screamed, and the car was twisting and turning and _what was going on_ and where was Mommy and was Kelly okay and-

Everything went black.

xxxx

Waking up was scary. Everything was fuzzy, and Tony _hurt. _His head was pounding and his knee felt wrong and painful and his tummy hurt and it hurt to breathe…Tony couldn't help it and started to cry, the sobs making his chest ache even more. Where was Mommy? She always came when he cried, always hugged him and stroked his hair and made things better. Even when his knees and his elbows swelled up and hurt like they were on fire, Mommy could help him hurt less.

"Mom?" He yelled, finally. He wasn't even sure if he was yelling her name right, but she would come. If she couldn't hear him crying, she would hear him yell for her.

She would come.

"Mom! Mommy!" Tony screamed, wrapping an arm around his tummy, breaths coming in gasping sobs. "Please, Mom!"

There was no answer, no movement.

He remembered Kelly suddenly and surged forward, crying out in pain as his unforgotten seatbelt tugged harshly at his tender belly. He fell back against the seat, sobbing and trying to catch his breath. He needed to calm down. He needed to focus, and he needed to help Kelly and his mom.

After a few minutes, Tony was able to maneuver himself out of the seatbelt, and he was again glad not to be in a car seat anymore. He went to Kelly first, pressing a hand to her cheek. She was still warm and still breathing, though she was asleep, so he crawled toward the front seat.

The windshield provided better light than he'd had in the back seat, and the first thing he saw was a pale hand lying on the center console. Tentatively, Tony reached out to touch it, drawing back at how chilled it felt.

"Mom?" He whispered, crawling carefully up to her. It hurt his knee terribly, even worse than it felt when he had one of his episodes, but he persisted.

"Mommy?"

Once he saw her face, he let out a scream, then turned to the side and vomited all over the passenger seat.

xxxx

Shannon was dead. Jethro reached into the car and gently pulled her out, ignoring the tiny voice that whispered in the back of his head that he was messing up a crime scene. His wife, his gorgeous, bubbly, jubilant wife, was _dead. _There was a neat little hole in between her eyes, blood matting the back of her head. Her eyes, sparkling and alive in life, stared blankly forward.

Jethro screamed. He didn't have words to express his pain, his anguish, his utter loss, so he rocked with his wife in his arms, rocked back and forth and let his world crash in on him.

"Boss?" McGee said quietly, his voice cracking. Jethro could hear his voice crack, knew that Tim was barely holding it together, but couldn't bring himself to say anything to comfort the younger man. Not now.

"Boss, Tony and Kelly…"

Jethro looked up, his heart sinking. In his agony, he hadn't even looked in the back seat. Tim looked completely distraught, face pale. Bunny was clenched tightly in his hands.

"They aren't here, Boss, but there are footprints. A child's and a man's. I think Tony walked out of here and someone followed him."

Jethro nodded, trying to take a deep breath and utterly failing, instead letting out another sob as Tim gently handed Bunny to him.

"Okay. Okay. Shit, I need to- damn it, I need to get it together," Jethro mumbled, hearing Shannon laughing lightly in his head.

"_Come on, J, it's Tony's first meet. You look like an expectant father." _

"_This is an important moment, Shan. This is Tony making his mark on the man world." _

_Shannon laughed. "Oh, so this is a test of manlihood? He's nine years old, Jethro." _

"_Always knew my son would start young," Jethro answered. "He's going to be a manly man." _

"_Just like his daddy," Shannon whispered, running a hand through his hair, pressing a kiss to his cheek…_

"Gibbs, there's a car about a half mile up the road, with ammo for a sniper rifle in the trunk. I think…" Kate's voice trailed off as she got down the hill and she let out a muffled sob. Ziva's soft cry followed Kate's.

Jethro went to speak but had to clear his throat before trying again.

"How long until rescue gets here?" He asked quietly.

"Ten minutes," Ziva answered.

"Get a MedEvac chopper, and we'll need a search party to help find T-Tony and Kelly," Jethro said, his voice cracking. "I, uh, I need you to call Ducky too."

"Of course, Boss," Ziva said, pulling out her cell phone. Her hand was trembling, which Gibbs noted with a kind of detached surprise.

"And Ziva? I need you to- to stay with h-her. While I go look for my children."

Ziva nodded and wordlessly stepped forward, tears in her eyes as she spread one of the car's emergency blankets on the ground and helped Jethro lay Shannon's body onto it. Jethro leant over and pressed a kiss to Shannon's hair, tears streaming down his face and onto her head.

"I love you, baby," Jethro whispered. "Forever." Ziva held out the second blanket that she'd brought and gently brought it over Shannon's face. Jethro bent over and sobbed, his shoulders quaking, fingers clenching tightly in the blanket.

A moment later, he took a deep breath, then stood up and tried to still the shaking that was coursing through his body.

"Tim, Kate. Let's go get my kids."

xxxx

Tony wasn't sure how long he lay huddled in the front seat, sobbing and retching and just trying to breathe, before something caught his eye. At the top of the big hill they'd fallen down, a single light was flashing. It looked like a flashlight, and something in his gut told him that it wasn't a rescue party. No, someone had killed his mom, and Tony was pretty sure that whoever it was had come to finish the job.

"_Sorry, Mommy," _Tony signed, using the special sign he had used for Shannon when he had first joined his new family. "_I love you. I'm sorry." _

He climbed back painfully, biting back sobs at the pain that shot through his body as he moved, and went to Kelly's car seat.

"_Hey baby," _he signed, relieved when the buckles unlatched without problem. He gently pulled his little sister's body into his arms and tucked her close to his chest. Groping around, he was happy to discover Kelly's binky, and then Bunny and Kelly's blankie. The familiar feel of Bunny's fur soothed and relaxed him, but he couldn't carry Bunny and Kelly and the blankie, and Kelly needed the blanket more than he needed Bunny.

Carefully, Tony set Bunny into Kelly's car seat, biting on his lips to keep the sobs from coming. The flashlight was still at the top of the hill, but Tony wasn't taking any chances of letting the man hear him. Instead, he wrapped Kelly in the blanket, took a deep breath, and limped into the gathering darkness, tears streaming down his face.

xxxx

The footprints told a clear story of an injured little boy and a man following after him. Jethro desperately tried not to think about what that meant, tried not to think about a gunman running his son down…

No. Tony was alive. Tony had Kelly, and they were both alive. There was no other option.

Kate and Tim were trying to remain positive, trying to keep from breaking down, but Jethro couldn't look at their faces, couldn't see the fear and heartbreak that he knew was reflected in his own eyes.

The footprints stopped abruptly and Jethro cursed under his breath when he realized that it once it had started snowing, it would have been hard enough to fill in any tracks that Tony or his pursuer left.

"Damn it!" Gibbs screamed, dropping to his knees. "_Damn _it!"

"Boss," Tim said, kneeling down in front of him. His eyes were brimming with tears. "If Tony's footprints disappeared, it's possible the man following him missed them too."

"We can still find him, Gibbs," Kate whispered.

Jethro stood up and nodded. "You're right. You're right. We'll keep sweeping forward in this direction and once the search and rescue team gets here, they can help us."

"I'll call Ziva and see how far away they are," Tim said.

"Okay," Jethro agreed, walking determinedly forward. "Hang on, Tony. We're coming. Just hang on."

xxxx

Tony was freezing. It had been snowing on them for awhile, and he hadn't been wearing his coat when they crashed. Breathing in the frigid air made his chest hurt even worse than before. Kelly still hadn't moved much, but she'd started to wiggle a little bit, and Tony was hopeful that she would start to wake up soon.

His knee hurt really badly, and he wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to walk.

Tony glanced back over his shoulder; there was no sign of the bad man, but he wasn't going to take any chances. No, he couldn't stop now. He just couldn't.

xxxx

They came upon the suspect suddenly, and Jethro wasn't sure whether who was more surprised. The man had apparently been performing a sweep similar to theirs and had come up fruitless, and when they stumbled on him, he was crouched on the ground, looking for prints. He came up firing.

Jethro, Kate, and Tim all put bullets into him.

"No, damn it," Jethro hissed, running towards the fallen man. The man was slender, a sniper rifle slung over his shoulder and a handgun lying discarded at his side. Blood saturated his shirt and leaked from the corner of his mouth.

"No! Damn you, stay with me you bastard," Jethro roared, pulling the man up by the shirt collar. "Who are you working for? Who the hell are you working for?"

The man didn't answer, just gurgled and choked on his own blood before falling limp in Jethro's hands.

"No! Damn it! _Fuck!_"

Jethro felt the little composure that he'd managed to hold onto slip away, leaving him a raw, broken, pissed off mess.

He didn't realize he'd been punching the body of his wife's murderer until Kate and Tim were pulling him off, and then McGee was barking into his cell phone and Kate was hugging him, rocking him back and forth and holding him in trembling arms.

"Damn it," Jethro whispered, letting the tears come. "_Damn it." _

"Jethro," Tim said, and Kate repeated his name quietly. "Jethro, we are going to find Tony and Kelly. This son of a bitch didn't find them, and we are going to. You need to stand up, you need to take a deep breath, and you need to find your babies."

"What if they're gone?" Jethro whispered brokenly. "What if we're too late?"

"We aren't too late," Kate said quietly.

"Gibbs, we aren't too late. Damn it, I refuse to be too fucking late. We are going to find them and they are going to be fine because there is no way in hell it could be any other way!" Tim shouted.

In the haze of his grief, Jethro was startled by his normally mild-mannered agent's vehemence. Maybe that was the point.

"Okay. You called in the body?" He asked, kicking at the cooling corpse. McGee nodded. "Then let's go."

xxxx

Tony was tired. He was so tired that his bones ached, his breathing was short and shallow, and Kelly, though now awake, was moving alarmingly little.

He stumbled and fell to his knees, Kelly clutched protectively to his chest. For a minute, he sobbed. He couldn't get the picture of Mommy lying dead in the seat, her eyes staring at him, but not really _at _him. She was dead, and he was alive, and he _hurt_, and why couldn't life just be fair? Hadn't he been through enough bad stuff?

He nearly gave up. Nearly lied down in a ball, curled up with Kelly wrapped in his arms, nearly let himself drift off to sleep.

Thoughts of his dad motivated him. Dad would be lost without Mom, but if he lost his whole family, he would collapse completely.

Tony could do this for his dad, for the man who saved his life and raised him and loved him. he could do this.

Climbing to his feet, Tony pressed on Ahead, he saw a small copse of trees, no more than a dozen, but to him it looked like heaven. He limped faster, determined to reach the trees and the small measure of shelter they would provide. As if on cue, the snow lessened and then stopped, and Tony knew he could make it. He _would _make it.

When he finally got to the trees, he leant down against one, spreading his sore leg out in front of him and resting his head on the rough bark. The clouds had started to thin out, and as he laid there, a sliver of moon became visible.

Tony could see Kelly blinking owlishly at him, and he managed to offer her a smile, stroking his hand over her head. He froze as he reached the back of her head and drew his hand up, staring at the blood that coated it in horror.

"No," he said, wiping the blood on his pants and gingerly touching his baby sister again. there was more blood, enough that it coated her head and the blanket she was nestled in, had trickled down her little sweater and soaked into her pants.

Frantically, Tony started signing 'OK' onto Kelly's palms, trying desperately to help soothe her as he'd been soothed while sick.

"Okay, okay, you're okay," he said, over and over again. "Please, you're okay."

Kelly looked up at him, the light in her eyes starting to fade, but the devotion that she'd always held for him still evident.

"Please baby," Tony said, stroking her hair again. "No, please. Please!"

Kelly gave him a tiny smile, then her eyes slipped shut.

Tony threw his head back and screamed, let all the anger and fear and sadness well up and explode, and even though he couldn't hear it, he could feel the vibrations in his chest, felt the emotions burst.

He curled up in a ball, ignoring the pain it sent shooting through his body, and cradled Kelly to his chest. Sobbing, Tony continued to trace 'OK' onto her tiny palm until he felt himself growing drowsy and surrendered to the darkness.

xxxx

As soon as he saw the trees, he knew Tony would have gone there. Jethro took off at a sprint, tearing towards the small area, shouting their names though Tony couldn't hear him and Kelly couldn't answer.

"Tony! Kelly! Sweethearts, Daddy's coming. He's coming, just hang on."

Tim and Kate were right behind him, flashlights sweeping, breaths coming in ragged gasps.

"They're here, I know they're here," Jethro murmured frantically. They split up, looking through the trees and Jethro knew they had to be there, knew they had to-

"Boss," Kate said, and her voice was subdued and trembling and _broken. _

Jethro slowly went to her side and dropped to his knees. He didn't even try to hold in the sobs, didn't try to stop himself.

For the second time that day, Leroy Jethro Gibbs' world shattered and came to a screeching halt.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Sorry this took so long! RL has been crazy lately, and my computer crashed so I lost a bunch of work…anyway, enough with the excuses. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

xxxx

Tony was curled up on his side, Kelly clutched tightly in his arms. Neither child was moving, and Tony's still form had a light covering of powder on it from where the wind had blown snow over his body. Jethro bent over so far that his forehead was resting on the ground, shoulders quaking as he gasped for air that wasn't coming between sobs.

Someone put a hand on his back, then wrapped an arm around his shoulders, and he allowed himself to be drawn into the hug, clutching desperately at whoever was holding him.

"Boss! Boss, Tony's got a pulse. It's weak and erratic, but it's there, Gibbs! Tony's alive!"

Jethro sat up and scrambled toward McGee and his son.

"Tony? Baby, can you hear me?" He gasped, running a hand through Tony's chilled hair. Tim had one hand on Kelly's back, the other pressed into her neck.

"McGee? Is Kelly…?"

McGee shook his head sadly. "I can't find a pulse, Boss, and, uh…it looks like she hit her head in the crash."

Jethro shook his head and didn't bother trying to stop the tears from flowing down his cheeks and landing in Tony's hair, where they glimmered like tiny stars.

"Oh Kelly, I'm so sorry, baby girl," he whispered, moving his hand to stroke through Kelly's downy hair. He stopped when he reached the back of her head and felt the matted hair there, and his hand came back sticky with blood. A sob bubbled up his throat and past his lips, and he didn't try to contain it, instead throwing his head back and letting it erupt.

His wife and his daughter were dead.

His son wasn't dead, but was close, maybe dying.

The family that he loved, that he was supposed to protect, had been decimated. And he hadn't been able to stop it.

"Boss, I called Ziva. She said Rescue is 20 minutes away, and she's calling for a MedEvac."

Jethro nodded, but found himself unable to say anything, his throat still too clogged to speak.

"Boss? What should we do?" McGee asked quietly.

Jethro shook his head and took a deep breath, pulling himself together.

"We're going to save Tony's life," he said finally, a low firmness to his voice that made it clear that there were no other options. "Kate, call Ducky and update him on Tony's condition. He's hypothermic, so we don't want to move him too much, but I'll need you to help me with him, Tim."

Kate immediately got on the phone and McGee knelt down next to Tony, then looked up expectantly at Jethro.

"I, uh, we need to move Kelly," Jethro said, grinding his teeth in an attempt to hold down his emotions. Tim nodded and gently grabbed the baby, trying to ease her out of Tony's arms.

"He's not letting go, Boss," McGee said, his voice trembling. Jethro pressed his mouth to Tony's hair, his chin trembling.

"It's okay, Tony," he whispered, stroking his son's hair and cheeks. "You did a good job. Let her go, baby. Let her go."

Tim continued trying to maneuver Kelly's body out of Tony's grip, but he was unable to do so.

"Gibbs, Ducky says it's imperative that you start warming him as soon as possible. Skin to skin contact is best, and you need to be careful to warm his core first."

"Kate, we can't get him to let- to let go of Kelly."

Kate blanched, then relayed the information to Ducky, her face paling even further as she nodded tersely.

"Gibbs, he said- he said that you need to straighten his fingers out. It will likely b-break his fingers, but it's more important you get him warm."

"Damn it," Jethro muttered under his breath. How the hell was he supposed to do this, to cause more pain to his son?

"_Damn _it!" He barked, looking down at Tony.

"I, uh, I can do it, if you don't…" Tim started, swallowing audibly.

"It's okay, McGee," Jethro said quietly. "I'll do it."

McGee nodded and switched positions with Jethro so that he was at Tony's back, holding him on his side, and Jethro was in front. Taking a deep breath, Jethro softly gripped Tony's right hand and straightened the first finger with a sickening crack. Tim let out a stifled sob as Jethro continued, snapping two more fingers before he was forced to turn aside, retching uncontrollably.

"_Get it together, J,"_ Shannon's voice whispered in his head. _"Tony needs you. Pull it together so you can help our son." _

Wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, Jethro once again turned to the supine form of his son, and gently eased Kelly's tiny body from his grip, tears streaming down his face as he did so. Kelly looked like she was just sleeping, her perfect lips turned up into a slight smile, her eyelashes forming tiny crescents on her pale cheeks. If not for the blood Jethro knew was matting the back of her head, he almost could have believed that she would wake up soon, giggling at Tony's faces and making the sign for milk…

Looking up, Jethro smiled wanly as Tim wordlessly held out his heavy overcoat. Taking it, Jethro carefully wrapped Kelly's body in the coat, before turning to Kate.

"Would you…?"

"Of course," Kate said, her voice cracking. She sniffled as she cradled Kelly in her arms and impatiently wiped a tear away.

"Tim, we need to strip him without jostling him too much."

McGee nodded, and both men pulled knives from their belts, carefully cutting through Tony's pajamas. Jethro abruptly found himself remembering the previous Christmas, and how excited Tony had been to get his new pajamas, Shannon laughing with glee as he stripped on the spot to put them on…

"Boss?" Tim said quietly. His voice was shaking. "His- his chest."

Jethro took a good look at his son and swore vehemently, fear mercilessly gripping his heart. Tony's chest was deeply bruised, the discoloration extending across his ribcage and trailing off over his stomach. His right knee was hugely swollen and his skin was a pale white, tinted almost blue.

"Oh buddy, hang on," Jethro murmured, stripping his own shirt and gingerly cradling Tony to his chest. Tim took quickly wrapped the single emergency blanket they'd brought and tucked it around Jethro's shoulders and Tony's still form.

"Hey Tony," Jethro said, whispering into Tony's ear. Tony's head lolled on Jethro's shoulder, alarmingly cold, and Jethro was unable to suppress a shiver. If he was this cold just from the brief contact with the cold air, Tony must have been absolutely freezing. Tears came to Jethro's eyes once again as he thought of his son stumbling through the snow, his baby sister clutched tightly in his arms.

"I'm so sorry, kiddo," Jethro said, rocking gently, listening to Tony's shallow breaths and allowing his slow heartbeat to soothe him. Tony was _alive._ Hurt, yes, but there was still hope, and Jethro was determined that it would stay that way.

"You're doing so good, buddy," he whispered. "You're so strong and fighting so hard. Just keep it up a little longer, okay? Just stay with me, Tony."

"Boss, they should be here within the next five minutes," Tim said quietly, as though he didn't want to disturb Jethro's moment with Tony.

"Thanks, Tim," Jethro murmured, then turned back to the still form in his arms. "Hear that, Tony? Just a few more minutes, sweetheart. Almost there."

Tony continued his laborious breathing, his frail chest moving up and down ever so slightly, his features pale. Jethro rubbed softly at his chest, pausing every once in a while to make sure that Tony was still with him.

"I hear them! I hear them, Boss!" Tim yelled suddenly, and Jethro realized that the whirring of helicopter blades could indeed be heard. McGee stepped out into the open and waved his flashlight above his head, shouting as loudly as he could. Kate was still standing solemnly next to Jethro, and JEthro realized with a flash of guilt that she hadn't stopped crying.

"Kate," Jethro said, mentally wincing as Kate turned to him with puffy eyes red from crying. "I'm sorry that I asked you to hold her. You shouldn't have to do that."

"Don't say that," Kate snapped angrily, shaking her head. "The least I can do is hold her. Don't apologize for that."

"Okay," Jethro said finally, turning back to Tony. "Thank you, Kate."

Kate didn't answer, but Jethro could hear her sniffling quietly. Further away, he could hear Tim yelling at the medics from the airplane, shouting at them to _hurry the hell up_, which would have made Jethro laugh if he'd still had the ability to.

"Boss?" Tim said, and Jethro realized with a start that his probie was directly in front of him. When had that happened?"

"Sir, we need to look at your son," a medic said. The medic was thin and wiry and for a split second, Jethro thought that it was the man who'd caused all this, the assassin who'd put a bullet between his wife's eyes, but it wasn't, and the feeling passed before he had the chance to do something stupid.

"Sir? Can you hear me?"

Jethro looked up, blinking lazily at the medic, and realized that he was maybe going into shock. Huh.

"Let go of him, Sir. Please, we need to help him."

"Tony," Jethro mumbled, barely loosening his grip.

"Tony?" The medic repeated, then offered Jethro a ghost of a smile. "We're going to help Tony. We're going to help you too, okay?"

Jethro nodded woodenly and allowed the medic to ease Tony out of his arms. Immediately, another medic, shorter and stockier swooped over Tony's still form, setting up IVs and taking blood pressure and putting an oxygen mask over his face, speaking in that medical lingo that meant nothing to Jethro.

"Sir, we want you to come too, okay? Your blood pressure is low, and you're exhibiting some symptoms of shock."

"Jethro," Jethro murmured, looking up. The medic nodded understandingly, but Jethro shook his head. "Not my real name. First name's Leroy, but Shannon likes Jethro more. Calls me J."

"Shannon?" The medic said. "Do you want me to get in contact with her?"

The sudden raw feeling of _loss _pounded at Jethro with the force of a battering ram, and his heart shattered as the full implications of what he'd just gone through hit him.

He couldn't speak, couldn't _feel _because what was there to feel when Shannon was dead? The medic was mouthing at him in concern, but Jethro didn't know what he was saying. Didn't really care, either. Kate was standing near him, and she was trying to say something too, but Jethro couldn't see past the tiny bundle in her arms.

"No," he said finally. "No, you can't contact her. She's dead."

The medic wasn't talking anymore, and Kate and Tim were looking at him with sad expressions.

"She just died, you know," Jethro continued, unsure why he was talking but unable to stop himself. "Bullet between the eyes. Good shot. She died fast, didn't suffer. Kelly suffered though. So did Tony."

"Gibbs," Kate whispered, her voice breaking. "Gibbs, Tony is still alive. He needs you."

Jethro looked up, blinking. Tony was alive. Of course he was alive. What the hell was wrong with him? Worried and slightly panicked, he tried to struggle to his feet, frustrated when the medic stopped him and instead inflated a BP cuff over his arm.

"We need to get him on the chopper too, sooner rather than later," the medic mumbled with a worried look to Kate and Tim.

McGee nodded, then crouched in front of Jethro.

"Come on Boss, I'll help you up and we'll go see Tony, okay?"

Jethro looked up and nodded gratefully, allowing Tim to help pull him to his feet. He wobbled unsteadily for a second before regaining his footing, and walked toward the helicopter.

"Okay, easy does it," the tall medic said, helping Jethro up into the chopper. Under normal circumstances, Jethro would be embarrassed at needing so much help, but right now he only cared about his son and he would take whatever help he needed to get to him.

"Tony?" He whispered as he was settled in a seat next to the still form of his little boy. The second medic was settling an oxygen mask over Tony's mouth and nose, and blankets were piled on top of him, IVs trailing into his arms.

"How is he?" Jethro asked as the thin medic tucked a blanket around his shoulders.

"He's got pretty severe hypothermia, and it's likely he's got some internal bleeding from where he hit the seatbelt. We're flying you guys to Bethesda, though, and they've got a great trauma center. We're doing everything we can to insure that your son gets the best care possible."

"Sir?" The shorter medic asked, looking up with a frown. "Your son's heartbeat is slow, which is to be expected, but it's also irregular and seems to have a distinct murmur. Does your son have any preexisting medical conditions?"

For a second, Jethro frowned, shaking his head as he struggled to think past the grief that was muddying his thinking, then abruptly remembered and felt a thrill of fear even more intense than that which he was already suffering from.

"He had rheumatic fever," Jethro said quietly, staring at the still form of his son. "He's deaf, and sometimes he gets arthritis flare-ups. It also permanently damaged his heart."

The medic frowned and turned back to Tony, swearing lightly under his breath.

"He's okay, right?" Jethro whispered, turning panicked eyes to the medic squeezing the bag above Tony's head.

"This…complicates things," he answered finally. "He's still doing okay, considering, but this just makes things a little bit harder."

Jethro nodded and ran a trembling hand across his mouth, taking as deep a breath as he could manage.

"His resps are dropping," the shorter medic said, and the other medic quickly injected something into Tony's IV. The short medic shook his head. "No good, if it doesn't improve soon we're gonna have to bag him."

Jethro leant forward and grabbed one of Tony's cold hands in his, trying not to panic.

"Tony, baby, it's okay. Hang on for me, okay? Hang on for Daddy."

"Okay, bag him," one of the men said, and the other quickly complied, moving the oxygen mask and settling another over Tony's mouth and nose, squeezing a bag rhythmically above his head.

"Please Tony," Jethro whispered, bringing Tony's hand up to his face. "Please don't leave me."

The medics seemed as worried as ever, though, both of them moving quickly over Tony, faces pin moving quickly over Tony, faces pinched with concern.

"Shannon," Jethro whispered, closing his eyes and trying to keep his tenuous composure. "Shannon, if you can hear me, wherever you are, please help Tony. Help our boy, Shannon. Don't take him yet. Please, baby, help our son."

For a moment, Jethro thought that maybe Tony or Shannon or _someone _had heard his plea and his son seemed to be rallying, but then the fragile heartbeat faltered and stalled and the chopper was landing and before Jethro even had time to panic, Tony was taken away from him and he was left alone in the back of a helicopter.

Jethro Gibbs broke down sobbing and prayed with all the strength he had left.

Not his son.

Oh, god, please not his son.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Oh my gosh, I am so sorry for how long this took! Between mid-terms, a huge paper, and some serious writer's block on this chapter, it took me ages to get this up. This was seriously the hardest chapter for me to write and to articulate- I hope you like it!

xxxx

They wheeled him into the ER in a wheelchair, despite Jethro's vehement claims that he didn't need it and helped him onto a stretcher, where a doctor immediately went to work once again taking vitals.

"How's Tony?" Jethro asked, craning his neck in an attempt to see into the trauma room that they'd whisked Tony into. He could barely see what seemed to be dozens of doctors crowded around the bed, most likely around his son, but he couldn't tell anything beyond that.

"Mr. Gibbs, please settle down," a nurse said, gently but firmly shoving Jethro back against the stretcher. "Your son is in good hands."

"I need to see him," Jethro said loudly, straining against the hands on him. "I need to be with him."

"You need to calm down," the doctor corrected. "Let us help you."

Jethro relaxed minutely, fists clenching and unclenching as he tried to see into the trauma room. The doctor sighed and turned to one of the nurses, leaning in close to her and whispering so that Jethro couldn't hear him. After a minute, the nurse nodded and scurried away, past the swinging doors of the room that held Tony. Jehtro watched her with a twinge of jealousy.

"What the hell is that?" He demanded, startled when the doctor slipped a needle into his vein and started an IV.

"It's saline," the doctor answered, clearly exasperated. "You're dehydrated."

Jethro glared at the doctor but allowed him to continue. He figured if he gave the IV a few minutes, acted like he was cooperating, then maybe the doctor would go take care of some other poor soul and give Jethro the time he needed to make an escape.

"Don't even think about it," the doctor said, squinting his eyes at Jethro. "You busting in there isn't going to help him any."

"It is," Jethro said, noticing but not caring about the tiny hint of desperation that seeped into his words. "He needs me as much as I need him. He needs to know he's not alone. His-Tony's mom and his sister are- He needs me. He needs to know I'm here. He needs to fight."

And that was the kicker, wasn't it? Tony had slipped into unconsciousness only with the knowledge that his mother and his baby sister were dead. He had no way of knowing that Jethro was here, was desperately holding onto him, had no way of knowing that he still had something to fight for. Jethro _needed _to be with him.

"Please," Jethro whispered, squeezing his eyes shut to trap the tears that were threatening. "_Please."_

The doctor's face changed, softened just a tad, and Jethro felt a surge of hope. Just then the nurse that had gone into the trauma room came back out, her jaw tight and her face solemn. She whispered something to the doctor then hurried away again, leaving Jethro with a sinking feeling in his stomach, an ache that settled into his heart.

"Mr. Gibbs," the doctor said, and his eyes were sympathetic. "I'm going to take you in to see Tony."

Feeling a curious mix of trepidation and hope, Jethro moved to hop off the bed and was surprised when the doctor's firm hands pressed against his shoulders, holding him in place.

"You need to understand something," the man said, and Jethro felt his hope starting to drain. "Tony isn't doing very well."

"What the hell does that mean?" Jethro whispered. It was all he could do not to scream at the doctor to just get to the point.

"Your son doesn't have a heartbeat right now, Mr. Gibbs," the doctor said gently, and Jethro felt his world slipping away, again. There was nothing here for him anymore, nothing to keep him grounded. He felt like a balloon with its string cut, floating endlessly into the sky, up and up and never coming down.

"That doesn't mean there's no hope," the doctor added quickly, his hands steadying Jethro's swaying. "With hypothermia, a person can survive much longer periods of time in cardiac arrest and still be resuscitated."

Jethro didn't find that to be all that comforting. His son was still in there, dead. Fucking _dead._

"They're performing CPR on him right now, and they'll be connecting him to cardiopulmonary bypass soon. That will allow his blood to circulate and also to get warmer quicker."

Jethro nodded numbly, only half listening. Tony, his baby, his son, was in there, dying…

"We're going to do everything in our power, Mr. Gibbs," the doctor said, and the sincerity was so clear in his voice that it made Jethro a little bit scared. "We are going to try to save your son. But I have to make this clear, at this point it isn't looking very good. So when you go in there, you need to…you should say what you need to say. You might not get another chance. Do you understand?"

Jethro swallowed thickly and squeezed his eyes shut again, trying to keep some semblance of composure. They were telling him to say goodbye.

"I understand," he said finally. The doctor squeezed his shoulder, then helped him into a wheelchair, tucking the IV pole into Jethro's hand. He pushed the wheelchair forward then through the swinging doors and closer and closer to the table that held Tony.

Jethro felt his heart thudding loudly in his ears, faster than normal, and wished that he could somehow transfer the extra beats to his son. And then he was there, next to Tony's pale face, and he had to fight to swallow down the bile that rose uncontrollably in his throat.

Tony was pale and gray, a strange color that left little doubt that there was no life left in his body. A tube was sticking out of his mouth and a nurse was dutifully squeezing the bag attached to it every few seconds, delivering oxygen to Tony's starved body. A doctor was rhythmically pressing on Tony's chest, emitting a small beep on the heart rate monitor with every thrust. Jethro could hardly believe that the only solitary sign of life in his son was from the doctor pumping his heart for him.

"Hey kiddo," he whispered, running a hand through Tony's cold, wet hair. "Hi baby."

The room quieted, the buzz of medical terms dying down until the only sounds were the slightly arrhythmic monitor and the air being squeezed into Tony's lungs.

"I know you're tired, Tony. I know you're tired and scared and alone. But I'm here, kiddo. Okay? Daddy's here, and I'm not going anywhere. Just…just fight, baby. Just try your best, okay? Just try your hardest."

He stopped speaking for a minute and was surprised to realize that he'd been lightly tracking 'OK' on Tony's palm the entire time he was talking.

"You're okay, Tony. I'm here. I'm right here."

The noise in the room started to pick up again as new doctors entered the room, bringing with them a myriad of equipment.

"Mr. Gibbs?" A nurse said, gently touching his shoulder. "You'll need to leave soon."

Jethro nodded, trembling as he tried to keep in the tears, the despair that was washing over him. He pressed his lips to Tony's forehead, allowing himself to cry as he clutched at his son.

"If you fight this, baby, if you give this your all and you just can't make it, I won't be mad," he whispered, kissing Tony's nose, cheeks, eyelids.

"I love you, kiddo. No matter what, okay? I love you."

The nurse who had spoken sniffled lightly then spoke up again, her voice cracking a bit.

"Are you ready to go?"

_No, _Jethro thought. _No, I'm not ready to leave my son. I'm not ready to leave, not ready to see him for what might be the last time._

Instead he squeezed Tony's hand, traced out 'OK' one more time, pressed a kiss to his temple, and nodded.

"I love you baby. I love you, Tony. I'll see you soon. As soon as you get better, I'll be there. I'll see you soon, Tony."

The nurse gently wheeled him out of the room, back to the curtained bed he'd been occupying before. Jethro was relieved to see his father standing worriedly next to the bed, clearly waiting for him. The nurse and another man helped settle him in the bed, then left him alone with his father.

"Dad," Jethro said, his voice breaking. Jackson quickly moved forward, wrapping his strong, familiar arms around Jethro's trembling shoulders.

"They're gone, Dad," he whispered, clutching at his father's shirt as he hadn't since he was a child. "Tony's- he isn't looking good."

"I know, son," Jackson said, one hand resting on the back of Jethro's head. "I know, J. I know."

"They're gone," Jethro repeated, letting the tears roll down his cheeks with abandon now, shaking as the emotions of the day overwhelmed him. "They're gone."

"Ssh, ssh, I know, Jethro. I know son. Let it out now," Jackson whispered, rocking slightly back and forth. "I know."

xxxx

Three hours later, Jethro was sitting on a hospital-bland couch, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders as he waited for news on his son. Jackson was on one side, Ducky on the other, and the other members of his team were variously sitting, standing, and pacing.

"Here, Boss," Tim said quietly, handing Jethro a cup of steaming coffee. "I found a coffee shop down the street, got their blackest stuff."

"Thanks, Tim," Jethro mumbled, accepting the offering.

"I, uh, spiked it with a bit of the good stuff," McGee continued, blushing. "It probably won't taste super good, but it's got a bit of a kick."

Jethro's mouth twitched but didn't fully form a smile as he took a sip of the whiskey-spiked coffee.

"It's fine, McGee," he said.

Tim nodded and sat down abruptly,, leaning his head back against the wall. Abby was still sobbing quietly, huddled with Kate and Ziva, who were gently trying to calm her down while still keeping their own emotions in control. Palmer was pacing by the door, eyes wide and unmistakably frightened. Sheppard was on Ducky's other side, stoic as always but clearly effected.

"You don't have to stay," Jethro said quietly, looking at his team. "You uh, you don't have to be here."

No one moved. All talking stopped, Abby stopped crying, and Palmer stood still. They stared at him, faces incredulous.

And then they all started talking at once, Abby gesticulating wildly with her hands, Kate with her hands on her hips, Palmer stuttering and red-faced, Ziva fierce and determined, McGee with his face set firmly.

Jethro was briefly overwhelmed, surprised by the vehemence with which his team was addressing him. Finally, Kate managed to quiet everyone and turned to Jethro.

"Gibbs," she said, slowly and firmly. "I know that's your son in there, but we all love him too. We all love _you._ There is no way in hell we're leaving you."

Jethro nodded, trying to swallow past the lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat.

"Okay," he said finally.

"Okay," Kate repeated, and then everything went back to the way it had been, people pacing and sitting and trying not to let themselves form the thoughts that they were so afraid of.

Jethro's phone rang abruptly, and he fumbled with it, hands trembling and numb and uncooperative. Once he finally had it out of his pocket, Jethro looked at the screen and felt his heart plummet. _Joann. _He'd forgotten to call Shannon's mom. She had no idea.

Jethro took a deep breath and cleared his throat, then opened the phone with shaking hands.

"Joann?"

"Jethro! Have you found them yet? Oh, I'm so worried, they still haven't come, what if something happened to them?"

"Joann," Jethro said, trying to keep his voice level. He apparently didn't do very well, because Joann stopped mid-ramble.

"What happened? What's wrong, Jethro?"

Jethro took a deep breath.

"There was an accident. Shannon and Kelly…they're both…they didn't make it," Jethro said, not willing to get into the details of their death. Not over the phone. Not right now.

Joann gasped and then burst into loud sobs that she tried to tone down but couldn't. Jethro felt the now familiar bile rising in his throat and forced it down, biting his lip so hard that he started to taste blood.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered finally.

Joann had seemed to calm down enough to at least speak to him now.

"Don't be," she said, her voice trembling. "It wasn't your fault.

_Yes it was, _Jethro thought, but he didn't say anything.

"What about Tony?" Joann asked quietly, and Jethro could tell that she was crying again. He took a shaky breath and tried to speak even as tears rolled down his cheeks. Jackson squeezed his knee, and Ducky scooted a tiny bit closer to him.

"Tony's- they don't know. We're at the hospital. We're, uh, we're still waiting on news."

"Which hospital?" Joann asked, her voice suddenly firmer than it had been. "I'm on my way."

"Bethesda," Jethro answered. "But, Joann, um, you should know. It's, uh, it's not looking too good."

There was another muffled sob on the other end of the line, followed by some intense sniffling before Joann answered.

"Well, he's a stubborn kid. He'll be okay, Jethro. That I believe."

"Yeah," Jethro said. "Yeah, he will be. Listen, drive safely, okay? Be careful."

"Of course I will," Joann said, but she was crying again and Jethro could relate to her all too well, knew exactly what it felt like to lose a daughter. "I'll take a bus down."

"Good," Jethro said. "Good. I'll see you soon."

"Yeah," Joann said. "See you soon."

Jethro snapped his phone shut and started crying again. He wasn't sure he'd ever stop.


	26. Chapter 26

It was another hour before the doctor emerged from the doors that hid Tony from sight. Jethro was jittery and anxious, and his team was alternately dozing, pacing, crying, and talking quietly. In other words, nothing had really changed in the least since their vigil had begun.

Jethro was so tied up in his own churning emotions, a disconcerting blend of fear, heartbreak, and anger, that he almost missed the diminutive doctor that walked toward him, alerted to his presence only when Ducky gently nudged him. He stood quickly, clenching and unclenching his fists in anxiety.

"Are you Tony's father?" The doctor asked, and Jethro nodded.

"I'm Dr. Howe. I've been treating your son."

"Please, call me Jethro. How is he?"

The doctor looked uncertainly around at the other people in the room.

"Perhaps we should go somewhere more private?"

Jethro shook his head, feeling his heart sink. "No," he said quietly. "They're family."

Dr. Howe nodded.

"Your son's injuries were quite severe," he said, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "We managed to restore a heartbeat, but he's still mildly hypothermic."

Jethro sank to the couch, overwhelming relief washing over him in waves. Tony was still alive. Hurt, undoubtedly traumatized, but _alive. _They could deal with anything else.

"We'll be bringing his temperature up overnight," Dr. Howe continued. "It's possible that he has some internal bleeding that was slowed by the hypothermia, so we may need to bring him into surgery again as he warms."

Jethro nodded, rubbing a hand through his hair.

"Okay. How bad do you expect that to be?" He asked, biting his lip in concern.

"Hopefully not too bad," Howe answered. "Judging by the bruising, I would guess that we might see bleeding in his spleen or liver. Internal bleeding is never something to be messed around with, but if it isn't too severe, we should be able to fix it without any complications."

Jethro nodded again and tried to keep his hands steady. "And his knee?"

"Tony tore some of the ligaments in his knee, but we repaired them. He's still going to have to take it easy and give it a chance to recover, and there's a chance that he'll have lingering effects from this."

"Okay," Jethro said, trying to ignore the reactions of his team. "Okay." They could deal with that. Hell, they'd been dealing with it since Tony's first flare up of arthritis. He'd still be okay.

"We're also still concerned with your son's cardiac function. We have him on an external pacemaker until his core temperature is normal, and we're hoping at that point that we'll be able to take him off of it. There is a chance, though, that this has damaged Tony's heart even further."

"What happens if that's the case?" Jethro asked, swallowing thickly.

"Tony will probably go into congestive heart failure, and we'll put him on the transplant list. But Jethro, this is a worst case scenario. Let's not cross that bridge until we get there," the doctor said quickly.

Jethro barely heard the last words the doctor said, still trying to wrap his head around 'heart failure' and 'transplant.' His head was swimming.

"Jethro," Jackson said in concern, wrapping an arm around Jethro's shaking shoulders. "Hey, are you okay, son? You're pretty pale."

Ducky gently guided Jethro's head between his knees.

"Deep breaths, Jethro. Just breathe."

Jethro did as he was told, trying to take deep breaths and focus on _it's okay, he's okay, we're going to be fine_ and not _he's going to die, you're going to lose him just like everyone else._

"Mr. Gibbs, are you alright? I can take a look at you if you're still feeling…"

"No, that's okay," Jethro said, taking a deep breath and slowly straightening. "When can I see him?"

"We're getting him settled in the pediatric ICU. You'll be able to see him in a few minutes."

Jethro nodded and let out a heavy sigh.

"Thank you, Dr. Howe. I, uh, I appreciate what you've done for my son. I don't-I'm not sure what I would have done…"

Jackson put a hand on Jethro's shoulder in a quiet show of support, and Jethro accepted it gratefully.

"You're welcome, Mr. Gibbs. I'm glad that I could help. Someone will come and get you as soon as Tony is settled."

Jethro swept a shaking hand over his face, letting out a shaky breath.

"He's going to be okay, Boss," McGee said quietly.

"Yes," Ziva agreed. "He is strong."

"That he is," Ducky said. "Jethro, things have been against Tony from the beginning, but he's persevered and come through with incredible spirit and grace."

"Yeah, he has," Jethro agreed. "I'm just worried that he's going to fight and fight and just keep getting shit thrown at him until he can't fight anymore. He isn't-he's not invincible."

"No," Jackson said. "But he's got you, and he's got your team, and between us, we're the stubbornest sons of bitches I've ever known. Maybe with us, he doesn't have to be invincible."

"Thanks, Dad," Jethro said, then looked up as a nurse approached.

"He's ready if you want to come see him," she said, smiling.

"Thanks," Jethro said, standing. "Um, do you want to come with me, Dad?"

Jackson nodded and climbed to his feet, resting a hand on Jethro's shoulder.

"Of course I do, son," he said.

Jethro turned to the rest of the group that had accumulated and smiled at them.

"I want to thank all of you for the support you've shown me tonight," he said, feeling his throat tighten with emotion. "It's been a comfort and a strength. I'd like you all to go home and get some well-earned rest now, since only family can go in to see Tony. If you want to come back tomorrow, I'll make sure that you can see him then."

"Okay. We'll be back in the morning," Kate said, wrapping her arms around Jethro in a hug. "Take care of him. Take care of yourself, too."

"I will," Jethro said, returning the hug. "Thanks, Kate."

Abby also hugged Jethro, squeezing him tightly and obviously trying to keep control of her emotions.

"I'm so sorry, Gibbs," she whispered, her voice catching. "Tony will be okay, but…I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Abs," Jethro said. It wasn't really, but Abby couldn't do anything about it, except-

"I'm going to catch the son of a bitch responsible for this," she added, her voice low and lethal. Jethro smiled tiredly.

"I know you are," he said. "I know."

"Tony is strong," Ziva said, looking intently at Gibbs. "He will make it, Boss."

"We'll be here bright and early," Tim added. "We're here for you, Boss, every step of the way."

"I know," Jethro said, his voice quavering ever so slightly. "Thanks for your support."

"Do take care tonight," Ducky said, looking sternly at Jethro. "If I hear anything about you from the nursing staff when I come tomorrow, there will be severe consequences."

"Duly noted, Duck," Jethro said with a ghost of a smile.

"Jethro," Jenny said, coming to stand close to Jethro. She looked intently at him, and Jethro could see the emotion brimming in her eyes. "Take as much time as you need. We understand and are behind you one hundred percent."

"Thank you," Jethro said. "I'll let you know how much time I'm planning on taking once everything has settled down a bit."

Jenny nodded, then walked away, leaving Jethro and Jackson alone.

"Are you ready for this?" Jackson asked quietly.

Jethro took a deep breath. "No," he said. "But yes."

Jackson nodded in understanding.

"Let's go."

xxxx

Jethro had seen Tony in the hospital before, more times than he cared to count, but this was beyond anything he'd experienced or even been expecting. He wasn't sure in all honesty if it was because of how Tony looked or because of the emotions that had been running him over all day, or even a combination of both, but whatever it was threatened to overwhelm him.

Tony looked tiny and pale, a tube in his mouth and IVs running in both arms. There were blankets piled on top of him, and his body jerked slightly in rhythm with the heart monitor. Looking closer, Gibbs could make out the wires running under the blankets to his chest, where his heart was being externally paced.

_Holy shit._

Jethro wiped the back of a trembling hand across his mouth and walked on shaky knees to the side of Tony's bed. He'd hoped and prayed that it wasn't as bad as the doctor had said, that somehow Tony was going to be fine when he walked in. Hurt and sad, yes, but ultimately okay.

He wasn't.

"Hey buddy," Jethro said, reaching out and carefully touching one of Tony's cold hands. "You're looking a little banged up."

Jackson sat on the other side of the bed, snorting lightly.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about, Tony," he said, glancing at Jethro then back to Tony. "You look beautiful."

And thinking about it, once the initial shock of seeing the gravity of Tony's condition wore off, Jethro could agree that Tony lying there, still and quiet but _alive _was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever witnessed.

"Everybody's going to come by and see you tomorrow," Jethro said, resting a hand on Tony's head and brushing his hair back from his forehead. "You're a pretty popular little guy."

There was no sound in the room but the _click-whir _of the ventilator and the tiny sound that the external pacemaker made every time Tony's body jerked. Every time his heart beat.

"I can't get used to that," Jackson said quietly, as if reading Jethro's mind. "That-that _twitching_."

Jethro nodded numbly, trying to focus on the connection he was feeling, on the tangible evidence that his son was alive and here rather than on the machines keeping him alive.

"I am so sorry, son," Jackson said, not looking up from where he was thumbing the back of Tony's hand. "I- I don't have the words to say what I'm feeling, but I am sorry, and I am heartbroken, and I am pissed as hell."

"Me too, Dad," Jethro agreed quietly, his voice trembling. "I'm almost- it's almost numb. I can't really tell what I'm feeling, like maybe it hasn't sunk in yet that they're- that Shannon and Kelly are gone."

Jackson was quiet for a moment.

"It'll hit you when you least expect it," he said. "You might even make it through the funeral without breaking down and then one day, you'll be cooking dinner and you'll see her favorite knife, and your world will just collapse. And it won't just collapse the one time. You'll think you're starting be okay, or at least as okay as you'll ever be, and then you'll see a baby girl with her dad in the grocery store and you won't be able to breathe."

Jethro nodded and sniffed loudly, blinking rapidly in an attempt to blink away tears.

"But then you'll get home. You'll see your son, and you'll see elements of Shannon in him. You'll see him grow up and become a man. And yeah, every day you're going to feel pain, and hurt, and sadness, but it will start to fade, and eventually, the happiness you feel with Tony will start to overshadow the emptiness."

Jethro couldn't stop the tears now and wiped them away angrily.

"I shouldn't have to move on, Dad. Tony shouldn't be here and Shannon and Kelly shouldn't be-"

He stopped abruptly, shaking his head.

"What the hell did I do to deserve this?" He whispered. "What did my family do?"

"Nothing, son," Jackson said quietly. "This is not your fault. Shit happens, Jethro."

"Yeah, well, it shouldn't," Jethro muttered. "And it sure as hell shouldn't happen to me."

"Can't argue with that," Jackson said.

"Jethro?" A new voice entered the room, and Jethro looked up.

"Joann," he said, getting to his feet.

"Oh," Joann whispered, a hand coming up to her mouth to try to stifle a sob. "Tony."

"The doctor said he's holding his own," Jethro said quietly. "But he's not out of the woods yet."

He wasn't sure if Joann heard him or not as she sat down heavily in the chair Jethro had just vacated. She reached a hand out to touch Tony, then drew it back and left it resting in her lap. Tears were streaming down her face.

"Joann," Jethro said quietly, drawing up close to her. She stood abruptly and turned toward him, and he wrapped his arms around her. She sobbed into his shoulder, one hand fisting into his shirt. Jethro rubbed her back lightly, understanding all too well what his mother in law was going through.

"I want to see her," Joann said suddenly. "I want to see my baby."

Jethro stilled abruptly and made eye contact with his father over Joann's shoulder.

"Why don't we go talk about this outside, huh?"

Joann nodded, sniffling and wiping ineffectively at her eyes, then walked into the hallway with Jethro.

"Joann," Jethro said gently once they were outside. "Shannon was in an accident, but that's not all there was to it."

"What do you mean?" Joann asked, frowning. "I don't understand."

"Joann, Shannon was- she was shot."

Joann gasped, eyes widening as she covered her mouth.

"Well what, like a hunting accident or something?"

"No Joann," Jethro said quietly. "Where she was shot indicates that it wasn't an accident."

Joann grit her teeth, blinking rapidly.

"Just where was she shot?" She asked slowly.

Jethro hesitated. "She was shot in the head."

Joann's jaw trembled as she tried to hold in her emotion, shaking her head in denial and clenching her fists in anger.

"The head," she whispered. "You mean that someone purposely killed my daughter." Her voice was hard.

"Yes," Jethro whispered. "That's what I mean."

Joann shook her head and paced agitatedly.

"Why would someone do that?" She asked finally. "Why would someone kill my daughter? And Kelly?"

Jethro shook his head.

"NCIS is starting an investigation as we speak, but we don't know at this point," he explained.

"That's bullshit," Joann spat, looking up with blazing eyes at Jethro. "You and your job had something to do with this. I told Shannon, I told her that you were going to get yourself or her killed one day, and now you've gone and done it."

"Joann, I did not-"

"Don't. Just don't. I told her- I _told _her! I didn't want her to marry you, but she was so determined. If she had just listened to me, she wouldn't be dead right now!"

"Hey!" Jethro said, his voice raising. "This was not my fault, Joann. And Shannon and I were happy. We had a life together, we had children and a house and we were _happy._ I wouldn't give that up for anything, even knowing that it would end like this."

"I don't give a damn what you would do, Jethro! My daughter and my granddaughter are dead, and it's your fault. I have no doubt that she would still be alive if not for NCIS." Shannon took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. "It should have been you and Tony."

Jethro grit his teeth, feeling his sadness quickly and abruptly turning to anger.

"What did you just say?" He asked lowly. Joann looked like she might be regretting what she had said, but she had too much pride to back down now.

"You heard me. My daughter and her only child died."

"Shannon had two children, Joann. You can blame me, you can cuss me out, you can wish me dead, but the minute you bring Tony into this, we are done. Do you hear me? You need to leave, right now, and I don't want to see you back here, do you understand? The next time, the _last _time I see you will be at the funeral."

"That sounds great," Joann said. "I'll make the arrangements."

Jethro didn't even try to argue. In reality, he was relieved that she was taking over arrangements, though he really did want to organize the funeral as a last gift to Shannon and Kelly. With Tony in the hospital, though, he wasn't sure that he could handle one more thing on his plate.

Joann stormed off, and Jethro wearily went back into Tony's room, sinking into the chair by his bed.

"Are you going to take a grandparent away from Tony too, Jethro?" Jackson asked quietly. Jethro glared at him.

"You heard her, Dad. She wants nothing to do with us."

"Not right now, Jethro. She just found out her daughter was murdered. Did you expect her to take it well?"

"I didn't expect her to blame me," Jethro said. "I didn't expect her to resent Tony."

"She'll cool down soon enough, and I guarantee she'll regret what she just said, Jethro. Don't go burning any bridges."

"She burned them, not me," Jethro answered, turning back to Tony. "Besides, that needs to be the last thing on my mind. Tony needs me."

Jackson was silent a minute.

"Just remember that Tony needs all the family he can get," he said finally.

"Family, Dad," Jethro repeated. "Family doesn't wish you were dead."

They were both quiet after that, sitting in companionable silence, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he couldn't get Joann's words out of his head, because deep down he knew that what she had said was true.

It was his fault.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: So, wow. I don't even know what to say about how long this has taken me to get up except sorry! and I'll try not to let it be so long with the next…thanks for all of the PMs and reviews that have gently nudged me to get this chapter up. You're really appreciated!

xxxx

Time seemed to fly, and Jethro found himself marking it in milestones he never imagined needing. First was when Tony's body temperature finally reached normal and they could take off all the heating blankets and warmed IVs. That was followed closely by the removal of the external pacemaker; Jethro sat, fingers steepled beneath his chin and biting his lip as they waited to see if Tony's heart would keep time on its own. When it did, Jethro considered it both a miracle and one of his proudest moments as a father.

After that, things kind of started to blur together. Tony didn't regain consciousness, didn't start breathing on his own. Ducky patiently explained that that was to be expected with injuries as severe as Tony's had been, but that did little to soothe Jethro's restless and aching heart. At one point there was some concern about Tony's kidney functions, which had been slightly compromised due to the bypass he had been on; it was the first (and hopefully last) time Jethro had ever cheered to see a tiny bit of red-tinted urine.

People cycled in and out of the room to visit with him, and with Tony; Jackson and Palmer and Ziva and Kate, McGee and Abby. The director showed up once, a bouquet of flowers in hand, and Tony's teacher came with a pile of cards that his classmates had made for him. Jethro, for his part, was practically a permanent fixture in the pediatric ICU, leaving to shower and take quick naps only when threatened.

The day before the funeral, he sat, as always, at Tony's side, his son's limp hand clasped firmly between his. He'd taken to almost obsessively keeping in constant contact with Tony, a hand on his forehead or fingers brushing lightly through his hair. In truth, it was because he was afraid; in the movies, patients always came out of their comas because some family member or loved one spoke to them every day, talked to them and comforted them. Jethro knew, logically, that that was sentimental crap for the most part, but he didn't want to take any chances. If Tony wasn't going to come awake hearing his father's voice, he would damn well be feeling his father's touch.

A gentle knocking at the doorframe startled Jethro out of his reverie.

"Oh, hey," he said, turning around and fully expecting to see his father. Instead, he saw Joann, who looked both emotionally wrecked and totally uncomfortable.

"Joann," he said, not bothering to keep the contempt from his voice.

"Hi, Jethro," Joann said quietly. "Do you mind?"

"Yeah," Jethro snapped, then took a deep breath. This woman, despite what she had said, was still the mother of the love of his life. He could be civil to her for Shannon.

"I'm- Look, you can come in," Jethro said, stumbling awkwardly over his words.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry," Joann said, her voice cracking. "I was angry, and heartbroken and in shock, but- but that doesn't excuse what I said."

"No," Jethro said, tightening his grip on Tony's lax hand. "It doesn't. But, uh, thank you for coming and saying so."

Joann nodded nervously, wringing her hands.

"I understand if you don't want me here," she said, "but I would really like to apologize to Tony, if that's okay."

Jethro didn't want her anywhere near his son, but he remembered his father's words- _are you going to take a grandparent away, too?_

"Sure," he said finally. "But if you say anything to him-"

"I won't," Joann interrupted, her voice high and strained. "I wouldn't- I wouldn't do that. Not to Shannon's child."

_You did,_ Jethro wanted to say. _You stood here and told him he was worthless._ But he remained quiet.

"Hey sweetheart," Joann said in that motherly tone that Shannon used to get. Jethro swallowed thickly, an unexpected lump rising in his throat as Joann leant over his motionless son and feathered her fingers over his hair.

"I'm sorry, Tony," Joann continued. Jethro felt a brief pang of guilt for listening in and inserting himself into this private moment, but he wasn't about to let his son be hurt again, propriety be damned.

"I know you're hurting, and I know you're scared, but you've gotta pull through, Tony. It might seem like- like there's nothing left for you-" Jethro turned away, feeling tears well- "but you've got so many people that are here for you, kiddo. Your daddy is just waiting for you to wake up, sweetie. Hang in there."

Joann leaned in and gently kissed Tony's forehead, then turned to leave.

"Jethro," she said, smiling tiredly at him. "I really am sorry. I understand if- if you don't want to see me anymore, but- but if you don't mind- I mean if it's okay-"

"Joann," Jethro said. "I'm, uh, I'm not going to commit to anything right now, and to be honest I'm still pretty angry. But in the future, once things are- once things have settled down, maybe we could talk then, okay?"

Joann nodded, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I understand," she said. "I'll, uh, see you tomorrow."

"Yeah," Jethro answered. "See you then."

He sat back down in the chair next to Tony's bed, rubbing tiredly at his temples before picking Tony's hand up again.

xxxx

Jethro sighed and adjusted his tie once more, tugging at it in irritation before flinging it angrily to the floor.

"Feel better?" Jackson asked from the doorway. Jethro bent to pick the tie up, then turned with a shrug.

"Not really."

"Here," Jackson said, taking the tie from Jethro and looping it around his son's neck. "You remember me doing this for you when you were a kid?"

"Yeah," Jethro said, running a hand through his hair.

"Tony's going to be okay for a few hours, Jethro," Jackson said quietly as he finished the knot.

"I know that, in my head," Jethro answered, shrugging his coat on. "But I don't want to- there's still- what if something happens, Dad? I need to be there with him."

"Ducky's with him, son. Leave your phone on vibrate so he can get a hold of you and if he calls, you get out of there, no hesitation. Okay? No one will think twice about it, and you'll only be fifteen minutes away."

"I know, Dad. This is important to me. I want to- I _need _to do this for them. It's just- it's just hard. It's going to be hard."

Jackson stepped up behind him and put a firm hand on his shoulder.

"I know it is, son. But you won't be alone."

Jethro nodded and took a deep breath.

"Thanks, Dad."

xxxx

The funeral was closed casket. Jethro was simultaneously heartbroken over the reason why and in a sense relieved that he didn't have to see his girls…like that. He sat in the front row, his dad to his right, Joann and Shannon's sister to his left.

Joann's pastor got up to begin the service, and Jethro found himself zoning out a bit, the funeral hazy as his mind wandering back to his son's bedside, to the empty crib in Kelly's room, to his own cold bed. He struggled to keep the tears in but was unable to stop a few from escaping. Somehow, this entire ordeal didn't seem real, everything gray and fuzzy and surreal.

"Jethro," Jackson whispered, placing a hand on Jethro's knee. "It's nearly your turn, son."

Jethro nodded, remembering abruptly that he was going to say a few words about his beloved wife and daughter and stood up as Shannon's sister finished delivering the eulogy. He walked to the front of the funeral parlor and swallowed thickly as he looked out at the people gathered there to support him; his team took up an entire row, and many of his father's friends, people he had known growing up, had made the trip down. There were flowers, sickening in their brightness and vibrant scents, placed all throughout the room, but especially grouped around the two coffins.

"Shannon," Jethro said, then stopped, his throat seemingly closed off as tears threatened. He cleared his throat, then tried again. "Shannon was-"

A soft whimper sounded from the back of his throat, and Jethro bit his lip in embarrassment. He looked down at the pulpit, at his trembling hands, and tried to pull himself together.

"Shannon was the love of my life," he said, finally. It was cliché, he knew, but it was the truth. The absolute, unequivocal truth.

"We met at a train station," he said, trying to stop his hands from trembling. He finally gripped the sides of the podium. "I guess we were both trying to find something else in life, somewhere else to go or someone else to be. Never would have guessed that, uh, that we would fall in love. There was something about her, though, her spirit and her spunk and her vitality, that just drew me in and never let me go."

Jethro paused for a second and swallowed a few more times, blinking rapidly.

"She was an amazing woman, and I loved her. I loved watching her with Tony and with- with Kelly, I loved watching her cook, I loved when she got mad at me and put her hands on her hips and stomped her feet. My- my life won't be the same without Shannon in it."

He paused again and wiped at his eyes.

"Kelly- she was a sweetheart," he said, the love evident in his tone. "She loved when we read books to her, she loved learning sign language, and she absolutely adored her big brother. She always lit up when he walked into the room, and he could make her laugh with the smallest, silliest things. She, uh, she was just learning to crawl, and we could tell she was going to be a handful."

Jethro stopped and shook his head lightly. "She was- she was going to do big things," he said, his voice breaking. "And I am going to miss her."

He walked back down from the podium quickly, and just kept walking until he was out of the funeral parlor and out under the gray, cloudy sky. He tugged at his tie and flung it away, then undid the top few buttons of his shirt with trembling fingers and collapsed to his knees, chest heaving with emotion that he had been containing.

"Jethro?" His father's voice drifted to him on the breeze, but Jethro barely registered it as he knelt forward, his head resting on the cool grass, and began sobbing.

"Jethro, oh son," Jackson said, hurrying to his side. Jethro allowed himself to be wrapped up in his father's arms, the familiar but long forgotten gesture comforting as Jackson tucked his son's head onto his shoulder.

"I know, Jethro, I know," Jackson said, rocking slightly back and forth.

"Dad," Jethro sobbed, gasping for breath. "Dad, they're- I'm-"

"I know," Jackson repeated, stroking a hand through Jethro's hair. "I know, son."

xxxx

When Jethro got back to the hospital after a few hours of rest following the funeral, there had been no change. His son looked just as limp and pale and lifeless as he had when Jethro had first seen him being wheeled into the room. It was almost enough to send him into despair again, to that point in his mind where his life was over and he was doomed to being a lonely, bitter man for the rest of his days, but there was still warmth in the small hand that he clasped like a lifeline, and there was still hope, as distant as it might seem.

Tony could do this.

Jethro could do this, too.

"Hey kiddo," he said, stroking Tony's forehead with a calloused thumb. "You're getting kinda scraggly. I know how much you hate long hair, we'll have to get that cut for you, huh?"

Tony, for his part, remained still, his cheeks slightly sunken and dark half-moons under his eyes, the damned vent tube pulling one side of his lips down.

"If you want to wake up, I'll be here. I know that it's kind of scary, and I don't blame you for that- I'm scared too, Tony. But I'm here, and you're here, and we'll be okay together, right?"

Jethro waited anxiously to see if Tony would respond and was disappointed when his only answer was the beeping of the heart monitor and the whooshing of the ventilator. He had been half-hoping for some kind of miracle, that maybe some cosmic sense of justice would wake his son up the same day he buried his wife and daughter, but it wasn't meant to be.

So Jethro went back, day after day, reading stories and talking and sometimes, when he was sure he was alone, even singing to Tony in the hopes that something would encourage his little guy to open his eyes and wake up.

Two weeks later, he did.


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: First and foremost, I want to apologize about how long it has taken me to put this up, and to thank you for your gentle nudges and reminders. I got distracted by other projects and school, and to be honest I was really intimidated by this chapter. I have never experienced loss to this degree, and I want to make the grieving process for Tony and Jethro as realistic as possible. I've done research and drawn on my own, lesser, experiences, and I hope that these next few chapters seem at least plausible. Once again, I apologize profusely for the lack of updates over the summer, and thanks again for your continuing support. Y'all are the best!

xxxx

Tony's waking wasn't dramatic, or abrupt, or really anything like it happened in the movies. He blinked droopy eyelids open and gazed around the room, finally zeroing in on Jethro with unfocused eyes.

"Tony? Tony, hey," Jethro signed quickly, gripping Tony's hand tightly in his and not even bothering to hold back the tears that welled in his eyes.

Tony blinked a few times and a hint of a smile graced his face before he slipped back into unconsciousness, his head lolling onto his shoulder. Jethro squeezed his son's hand in his own and smiled broadly for the first time in ages, feeling the skin at the corners of his mouth tug as they hadn't for weeks. It was a nice feeling, though he couldn't help but think it would be even nicer if Tony were still conscious and signing at that rapidfire speed he loved, his green eyes sparkling.

It was only after a few minutes of just staring at his son that Jethro realized he probably should tell a doctor, so he stood and cricked his back and neck, feeling the hours and days of sitting in a hard plastic chair in the hard tenseness of his muscles. He walked quickly, eager to tell the doctor and then get back to Tony's side.

Jethro snagged the sleeve of the first nurse he recognized in the hallway, relieved when she smiled and said she would go tell the doctor right away, then hurried back into the hospital room that has become his second home of late.

Tony was still and quiet, exactly as he had been when Jethro left, his face gaunt and pale and nothing like the Tony that Jethro loved and adored and missed terribly. He looked far older than his years.

"Come on, buddy," Jethro whispered, signing the words out of habit as he spoke. "Please, Tony. I need you to wake up, kiddo, let me see those beautiful eyes. Flirt with your pretty nurse, huh?"

Tony, predictably, remained silent and still; Gibbs shook his head and crossed his arms.

"This isn't uncommon, Agent Gibbs," Doctor Harris said as he stepped into the room. "He'll likely gain consciousness for brief moments of time that will only gradually get longer."

Jethro sighed. "I-I understand that, but I'm-" Jethro hesitated a second and chuckled in a sound half-hysterical and resembling a sob. "I'm just so damn tired of waiting."

Harris put a hand on Jethro's shoulder.

"I understand how you feel, Agent Gibbs. I wish I could give you better news."

"So do I," Jethro said, rubbing at his temples. He eyed Tony's still form and gently stroked one of his pale cheeks, then grinned lopsidedly. "Fine. I know you like to be stubborn, Tony, but so do I. I am not leaving this room until you wake up. You wanna take bets on who's going to win? It's gonna be me, kid, so you might as well give up now."

Harris smiled and shook his head. "It's going to be hard getting that past the nurses," he warned.

"I need to be here when my son wakes up, and I made a promise to him," Jethro said, his voice growing hard. "I am going to keep my word."

"Okay, Jethro I'll let the staff know, but if it takes longer than a day…"

"I understand," Jethro said, even as he vowed to himself that he wasn't going to leave even if that was the case.

The doctor nodded and left the room, and Jethro resumed sitting at Tony's side, brushing his hand through Tony's long hair.

"Prove 'em wrong, kid," he whispered. "You've been doing it your whole life. I know you can do it today. Prove them wrong."

xxxx

It only took a few hours before Tony's hand started twitching in Jethro's, and his green eyes once again made an appearance.

"Hey, hey," Jethro signed, rubbing at his arm. "You're okay, buddy."

Tony's eyes widened and he reached for the tube, frowning when Jethro stopped the splinted fingers from reaching it.

"_You're in the hospital_," Jethro signed, making sure Tony was looking at him. "_Leave that alone." _

Painstakingly, Tony signed with his left hand, frowning in obvious pain and frustration that he couldn't use his right.

"_Hurts." _

Jethro nodded and pressed the call button above Tony's bed, wishing there was something he could do to ease his son's pain.

"_I know, Tony, the doctor's on his way." _

Tony closed his eyes again and Jethro could see tears poking out of the corners, trailing slowly down his cheeks. Jethro squeezed his hand and traced 'OK' onto his palm. Tony squeezed back then slipped his hand out of Jethro's and once again went for the vent tube. Jethro shook his head and caught the wayward limb, kissing the small fingers before setting it at Tony's side.

"_You need it, buddy,_" he signed. "_Try to relax, okay?" _

Tony continued to shift restlessly, making tiny noises of displeasure and confusion despite Jethro's attempts to soothe him. Tears were soon running down his face and then an alarm went off from the ventilator, startling Jethro and bringing several people rushing into the room.

"What's going on?" Jethro demanded, stepping out of the way of the nurses but keeping a firm grip on Tony's hand. Tony, for his part, was squeezing his hand tightly, almost desperately.

"He's just biting the tube, Mr. Gibbs," a nurse said, smiling reassuringly.

"He, uh, he said he's hurting," Jethro said, once more moving close to Tony's side. Tony stared at him with wide, terrified eyes, tears once again flowing freely. Jethro gently stroked the tears away, thumbing Tony's pale cheeks and trying to ground his son the best he could.

"Doctor Harris should be here soon," the nurse said, briefly stroking Tony's hair. "I can get you a bit of pain relief in the mean time."

"Thank you," Jethro murmured, watching as the nurse injected something into Tony's IV and Tony started to relax. "There you go, kiddo, you're okay bud," he said quietly. He had to crane awkwardly to establish eye contact with his son, who couldn't move his neck, but as the green eyes finally locked with his, red-rimmed and swollen as they were, he felt an overwhelming sense of calm wash over him and hoped Tony was able to feel some comfort from it too.

Finally, Tony's desperate movements stopped, the tears ceased, and he held Jethro's hand as tightly as Jethro was clinging to his.

"There you go, kid," Jethro whispered, pressing a kiss to Tony's forehead. "There you go."

xxxx

By the next day, the doctor was comfortable enough with Tony's breathing to wean him from the ventilator. Jethro sat at his son's side and ran a hand through Tony's hair, quietly soothing him as the tube was removed and he gagged.

"_Dad?" _Tony signed as soon as he stopped coughing and a nurse had settled an oxygen mask over his face.

"_Yeah, hey buddy," _Jethro signed back, relieved that Tony was more coherent than the night before. _"How you feeling?" _

Tony frowned, scrunching up his nose in thought, before he gave a half-hearted shrug.

"_Don't know. Feels funny." _

Jethro inhaled sharply. _"Funny how?"_

Tony sighed and shrugged again.

"_Numb,"_ he signed. _"It aches, but it doesn't really hurt too bad." _

"_That's the pain meds, kiddo," _Jethro signed, feeling his heartrate settle down as his panic abated. "_That's a good thing." _

Tony frowned again. _"I guess so. It's weird." _

Jethro chuckled lightly and ruffled Tony's hair, casting an appraising eye over his son's body. The bruises on his face and scattered on his arms had mostly faded since Tony's time unconscious; his knee was in a brace and less swollen than it had been, but it would take some intense physical therapy for him to use it like normal again. His lungs were still wheezy, congested sounding, and it was clear that every breath was a bit uncomfortable, not to mention that his heart was still occasionally veering into arrhythmic territory. In all, Tony still had quite a ways to go, but he was awake and he was coherent, and that was enough for Jethro, at least for the time being.

A gentle touch on his arm had Jethro returning to the present. Tony was staring at him with wide eyes, lower lip trembling.

"_Where's- is Kelly- or Mom-" _

Jethro reached a hand out and gently gripped Tony's thigh.

"_Are they okay?" _

Jethro took a deep breath. He'd known this moment was coming, run through a thousand different scenarios in his head, but now that it was here, he found himself floundering a bit. Finally, he pressed a kiss to Tony's temple, then slowly signed to him.

"_How much do you remember, Tony?" _

Tony shook his head and frowned, his eyes fixed on a point somewhere beyond Jethro's head.

"_I- the car crashed and then- it hurt and I was holding Kelly-" _

Tony's breaths started coming in short gasps and the beeping of the heart monitor started to speed up. Jethro gripped Tony's upper arm and quickly clicked the call button.

"_Tony, you're okay," _he signed, then cupped Tony's face, trying to get him to focus. Tony, though, was beyond listening, his lips moving soundlessly, his gaze distant. A spike of fear ran through Jethro as he felt Tony trembling beneath his hands.

"_Tony, come on kiddo, you need to breathe," _Jethro signed, shouting the words aloud at the same time. "Help! I need some help in here!"

Tony was gasping for air, pained grunts punctuating the heaving breaths, and nothing Jethro did was having any effect.

"Sir, you need to get out of the way," a nurse said, gently shoving Jethro from Tony's side. He watched in fear as the nurse and doctor worked to soothe Tony; that proved ineffective as Tony's lips started to turn blue before he finally passed out, his breathing normalizing in his unconsciousness.

"What the hell just happened?" Jehtro demanded, standing at Tony's side, one hand clamped protectively onto his son's shoulder.

Harris sighed and took his glasses off before rubbing at his temples.

"Your son had a panic attack, Agent Gibbs," he said. "I'd hoped that the trauma might be easier to deal with than this, but Tony has been through quite an experience, and it's likely going to be a rough road for the both of you."

"Rough how, exactly?" Jethro asked quietly, gently kneading at Tony's shoulder in his anxiety.

"Well, he could continue having panic attacks, and could have nightmares, anxiety issues, and any number of things. I'm going to recommend a few pediatric counselors for you to look into, and I'll have a social worker stop by to give you some suggestions on how to deal with this the best way for both of you."

"I'm fine," Jethro said quickly. "We just need to make this better for Tony."

Harris raised an eyebrow. "You've been through trauma too, Agent Gibbs."

"I'm fine," Jethro repeated. "But I'll do whatever it takes to get Tony through this."

"Okay," Harris said finally. "Hopefully Tony will sleep for a while and get some rest; I'll make sure a social worker gets down here sometime today."

"Thank you," Jethro murmured. He pressed a kiss to Tony's forehead as Harris left the room, gently stroking his forehead. "We'll get you through this, buddy. You'll be okay."

xxxx

Another week passed quickly. Tony's lungs started to clear up and his heart rate stabilized, and he was finally moved to a regular room. Of course, Jethro's whole team was eager and anxious to finally get to see Tony, but Jethro was hesitant. Tony had grown withdrawn and quiet, scarcely talking even to Jethro and Jackson, and Jethro was worried that his teammates would overwhelm Tony's tenuous grasp on reality.

"_Hey buddy, you ready for therapy?" _Jethro asked, glancing at the clock. Tony was curled up as much as he could be with his bad leg stretched out in front of him, looking blearily at Jethro and only shrugging in response. Jethro was concerned and more than a little frustrated; Tony had scarcely been eating and the doctors were starting to discuss putting in a feeding tube, and he had showed very little initiative in his therapy sessions. In discussions with Dr. Harris and Tony's therapist, Jethro had been told that while Tony might not be mentally prepared for therapy, if they waited too much longer he would have a permanent limp.

"_Tony, I need you to talk to me, kid," _he said, trying to get Tony to just _communicate _with him. So far, he'd refused to open up to the counselor as well, and Jethro was growing increasingly hopeless.

"_Don't want to," _Tony signed finally before turning away.

Jethro shook Tony's shoulder until Tony finally looked at him again, then shook his head.

"_Tony, you need this. Your leg is going to be-" _

"_I don't care! I don't want it!" _Tony signed angrily, glaring at Jethro with flared nostrils and clenched teeth. Jethro felt his own temper rising and took a deep breath, forcing himself to pause before answering.

"_Fine. I'll let the therapist know, then I'm going to go take a shower and get cleaned up." _

"_Fine," _Tony signed, then closed his eyes. Jethro clenched his jaw and walked out of the room. He'd been staying at a motel since the accident, both in order to be close to the hospital and to avoid the empty house, and heading back there now felt simultaneously like a release and a betrayal. He was frustrated and anxious about Tony, trying desperately not to think about his wife and daughter, and was growing antsy and short-tempered. He shucked his shirt off, fully intending to get into the shower, but found himself just sitting on the edge of the bed, unable to muster the motivation to move.

A knock on the door startled him.

"Jethro?" His father's voice asked through the door.

"Come on in, Dad," Jethro called, trying to instill some life into his voice.

Jackson stepped into the room and gently closed the door behind him, before sitting down next to Jethro with a sigh. He'd had to go home after the first week and a half but had continued making trips down every weekend to support Jethro and encourage Tony.

"How are you doing, son?" Jackson asked quietly. Jethro shrugged, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm fine. I'm just- I don't know how to help Tony with this. I don't know how to motivate him, and I have no idea what to do about the depression. And now- Dad, if he doesn't start trying with the therapy soon, his knee's going to be permanently screwed up. But I don't want to screw him up even more, and forcing him into something he isn't ready for so soon after—I just don't know what I should do. I-I feel lost, Dad."

Jackson was quiet a moment, a hand resting on Jethro's knee in a silent show of support.

"Have you told him that his knee won't get better without the therapy?" He asked finally.

"Yeah, don't know how much he took it in, though."

"Well son, hard as it is, I think maybe his mental health needs to take priority in this case."

"But Dad, his leg-"

"Is not as important as his mind and his soul, Jethro. If you can't figure this out and get him enjoying life again, what use will a fully functional leg really be?"

Jethro took a deep breath and nodded slowly.

"You're right Dad, and I've known it for a few days, but- but it's still hard, you know?"

"I know," Jackson murmured, wrapping an arm around his son's shoulders. "As for the rest, hopefully with time that will sort itself out."

Jethro nodded again, unable to speak for fear of completely losing it and bursting into tears. Instead, he leant into his father's embrace and just allowed himself to be held as he hadn't since he was a child.

xxxx

A few hours later, showered and napped, Jethro walked back into Tony's hospital room to find Tony sitting up and looking anxiously toward the door, more expression on his face than there had been for ages.

"_Dad!" _He signed as soon as Jethro stepped into the room, then completely took Jethro aback by bursting into tears.

"_Whoa, you're okay, buddy," _Jethro signed, stepping quickly to Tony's side and enveloping him in a hug. He stayed there for a moment, a mirror of his own earlier embrace with Jackson, then moved back, gently thumbing Tony's tears off of his cheeks.

"_Are you okay?" _He signed, immense concern overtaking all of the frustration he had felt earlier.

"_We were- we argued, and you were mad, and then you left, and I thought that maybe you-" _

"_You thought I wasn't coming back?" _Jethro signed, his heart sinking with guilt as he thought of Tony sitting alone and scared and abandoned.

Tony nodded miserably, lower lip trembling again.

"_Tony. I will always come back for you. Always. Do you understand?" _

Tony nodded again, but he didn't look convinced.

"_Mom didn't," _he signed without looking up. Jethro took a deep breath to try and tamp down his own emotions, then tilted Tony's chin up so that they made eye contact.

"_I know, Tony, and I can't promise you something won't happen to me, but as long as I'm breathing, I will be there for you. You are my son, and you are my family. We've got to stick together now, huh?" _

Tony nodded, tears streaming down his face.

"_Yeah. Just you and me now, I guess." _

Jethro smiled painfully and wiped tears from his own face.

"_Let's do the best we can, huh? Make your mom and Kelly proud." _

Tony finally smiled, though it was nowhere near his normal mega-watt grin, and scrubbed at his eyes.

"_I might be a little bit hungry," _he signed finally. "_And- and maybe I'm ready to try the therapy." _

Jethro felt as if a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders and hugged Tony tightly, relieved and inspired by his son's newfound appreciation for life. And while he knew that Tony was in no way recovered from the trauma he had endured- and, to be honest, he knew that he himself still had a way to go too- at least they were making some progress. Life would never be the same, but together, maybe they could make it enjoyable again.


End file.
